Black and Jaune(ish) White
by Just a Simple Nobody
Summary: First, she makes him pay for the flight to Vale; then she tries to ditch him! Honestly, he shouldn't have to deal with her, but yet here he was drinking freaking tea with her! Jaune honestly didn't know why he was getting involved with an ex-terrorist, but here he was getting involved with Blake Belladonna! "Why can't the universe just kill me already?"
1. A Different Blonde

**AN: Updated 10/24/16. Made some changes that are somewhat important. It adds some things that I do not wish to say. So don't be mad, but if you've read this first chapter already, I suggest you give it another read. It isn't crucial to the overall plot, but I think it will be more enjoyable if you read it the way it is now.**

 **If you're a first timer, then welcome! Go on and indulge in reading. Also, know that chapter 3 will be released TOMORROW! So get ready for that if you're interested!**

* * *

It hasn't been long since he started his rigorous training with Pyrrha, and he understood that progress is a slow upward climb. You don't become a great warrior in just a few months. Not even prodigies could make such an achievement. So even though he knew that –

"Don't be frustrated Jaune; you're getting much better."

– why was he still so impatient?!

Months of constant training. Months of sweat and pain – and for what? Mediocrity at best it would seem. Every time he tried sparring with Pyrrha the result was the same. Defeat after defeat after damn defeat! He couldn't even make her break a sweat!

To Jaune's displeasure, he still couldn't even beat Cardin. Every time his back hit the hard floor, Cardin would casually walk away. But at least the larger teen had stopped his insults and bullying. Jaune was genuinely thankful for that, as it would have been easy for Cardin to go back to his old ways. Even though it was unmistakable that his victory against that Ursa had more to do with luck than actual skill, the two were on better terms.

And by better terms, both had the unspoken agreement not to interact at all, unless necessary.

"I just wish I was improving faster." He said under his breath, hoping that Pyrrha hadn't heard him. She didn't seem to as she only sat next to him, and began to look up at the night sky with a relaxed smile. Him on the other hand, his mind was like a maelstrom of conflict.

"Jaune, we've only trained for a short time." So she did hear him. "You shouldn't expect to be at my level just yet," she crooned. The Mistral champion paused to think of her next words. If her hesitation to continue was due to her previous choice of words he didn't know, nor did he care.

It doesn't matter. Pyrrha was right he shouldn't expect to be at the level of his friends. Improving that much is an impossible task.

If only they had accepted him into Signal. He would have worked hard—harder than anyone. But he just wasn't good enough – didn't do enough – didn't have enough resolve? Maybe, if he just had the opportunity to train back then, then maybe he would be as great as his friends.

That was in the past, though, Jaune mused sadly. Instead of looking back and pondering what could have been, he needed to look forward, chest puffed out and his head held high with confidence. If he could do that, then he will get better.

If he did that, then maybe he could get a date with Weiss!

"Your technique is better, though." His partner finally spoke again. "Just give it more time, and I know that you'll become an excellent warrior." Pyrrha believed that – she believed in him. It was almost laughable really. His partner had more faith in him than his parents ever did. It was a depressing thought, but it was fact. His parents had been against his choice to become a huntsman ever since he first told them as a kid. When the topic of training came up, his father would always change the conversation immediately.

"Once you learn to utilize your aura better, I am confident that your improvement will fasten exponentially! In fact, we can start tomo-"

"Pyrrha,"

Thankfully she stopped talking. Just call out her name and she'll stop whatever she was doing to give you her full attention. That was just like her. He was lucky to have her as a partner.

"Just… I get what you're saying, and I agree. Even though I'm not at the level, I _want_ to be." Jaune had somehow mustered the courage to meet her gaze as he spoke. "I am grateful for all you've done for me. You helped me a lot, and I don't know how I can ever repay you."

When her hand grasped his shoulder, he stopped speaking.

"Jaune," she said softly. "You're my friend, I want to help you." her smile was so infectious that the blond felt his lips tug up to match hers. "Every day that we train together is a day you improve. Knowing that is enough payment for me."

Jaune was the luckiest guy on Remnant. There was no way that anyone else could have a partner as great as his. Pyrrha is not only the strongest person in their grade, but she had to have been the kindest girl he had ever met. No matter how much he struggled, she was always so patient with him. If there were something wrong with his stance, Pyrrha would correct him, never minding how foolish he must have looked.

The fear of falling had left him a long time ago. What was there to be afraid of when his best friend would catch him?

She was like a second mom, as weird as that sounded.

"Come on," Pyrrha stood, offering her hand for him to take.

Jaune went to accept her hand, but the moment before their hands could touch he stopped. Green eyes surveyed him oddly, and he could see the unspoken question she wanted to ask.

"Go on without me, I would like to spend a little more time out here." was his answer.

It was evident to Jaune that his partner wanted to protest, given that Pyrrha still offered her hand for his to join with, but when his hand did not meet hers, Pyrrha smiled like she always did, accepting that she couldn't change his mind. With a nod, the redhead left him saying her goodbye.

Jaune was lucky to have her.

* * *

A beautiful clear starry night out in the gardens of Beacon usually implies it to be a pleasant stroll. Just bask in its tranquility – the beauty that's all around. For almost anyone no matter the circumstance they would find some semblance of peace being here.

If only that were the case for Jaune Arc.

"I can't believe I left my scroll in the room!" How could he keep doing that?! He knew that he could just knock on the door, but he didn't want to wake his team. He let out a sigh – curse his forgetfulness. Curse the fact that he cares that much about his friends getting their beauty sleep!

How this night can get worse, is beyond his comprehension. Although, there wasn't a single doubt in his mind that this night could still become much worse. After all, he is Jaune Arc, and with his name labeled to him that meant getting struck by lightning on a bright sunny day was as plausible as getting into one of team RWBY's crazy antics. Or even worse, one of Nora's bizarre plans.

 _Guess I'm due for a few lightning bolts…_

Why can't the universe just take a vacation and kill him already?

With a sigh, Jaune continued his stroll. Right now he was headed for the familiar statue that depicted one of his ancestors. Rather than being alone, spending the night next to family seemed more preferable. It was not the same as being with his _real_ family, but the statue was an okay substitution.

Although, would it not look strange to see him sleeping outside next to a statue of his dead ancestor?

Comparing all the other embarrassing situations he has been through, this was like accepting a gold medal. Guess that means Jaune was going to sleep on the cold hard ground. Something that he was quite used to thanks to his loving sisters. Jaune had loved his parents more than ever when they built a bigger home. The day he finally got a bed to sleep in alone was the happiest moment of his life. Even now, he felt tears forming at the memory.

When Jaune approached the stone statue, he quickly realized that he was not alone. No one stays out this late, so it came as a surprise when he spotted someone. They were a familiar presence that was at the same time – an enigma. The person in front of him – he certainly _knew_ of her existence.

But Blake Belladonna was a complete stranger to him. Jaune could not even think of her as an acquaintance, as they never spoke to one another. There was never an urge to talk to her, and Jaune was sure that she felt the same way about him. What reason on Remnant could they possibly have to speak with each other? To Jaune, the silent member of his sister team was an exceptionally attractive version of Ren.

Not that Ren was not attractive... uh...

Regardless of how good-looking or not, his male friend was, the point is, Jaune felt the same vibe from Blake that he does from Ren. Heck, they're on the same team yet they still hardly interact– which was fine by the way! Jaune could respect his friend's decision to be more passive. It was honestly preferred. Having Nora was the same as taking care of his seven sisters, and then some. So having someone who was calm in nature on the team, was fantastic.

As for Blake, well they were not on a team. There was never a reason for them to talk. Besides, Jaune figured that they were probably far too different from each other to form a connection.

Blake didn't seem to notice the blond's arrival as her back was still turned from him. A pale hand began inching up to remove her bow as if the act itself tested all her courage. It didn't take long to understand why that was in the next moments. Because as the untied black bow was dragged down to her side, black furred feline ears were in place of where the bow once was.

As enthralled as he was by the second pair of appendages his attention was captured by something else. The way her free hand went to reach her face to rub her eye reminded him of when his sisters would be sad.

Blake was crying.

"Blake…" it's the first time he's ever talked to her; the first time he's ever even said her name. It was the only thing he could even think to utter at the sight of the complete stranger before him. But she was crying, and he did the first thing his instincts told him to do.

Jaune Arc was going to do his best to console Blake Belladonna.

Blake seemed to jump at first, startled by the sound of his voice. After all, it was far too late for anyone else to be outside their dorm. Even so, she turned around to look at him. Amber met his uncertain cerulean.

His mom did always say that strangers were only friends you haven't met yet.

* * *

Many things have now happened to Jaune Arc – things that he would never have imagined to occur so soon in his life.

Where does he even begin? The fact that he was at a café with an attractive girl that wasn't one of his sisters. Alone… with no supervision. Just him with the girl. There was not another person to distract him from the girl sitting across the table.

Did he mention that the girl who sat across the table was alone?

Oh, Gods don't panic!

"Are you even listening?"

"Oh, sorry Blake, I'm just extremely nervous," he said as one hand came up to rub his hair nervously. When their eyes met again, he flinched when he saw how irritated she was. His arm dropped, and he offered an apologetic smile. Hopefully, the Arc charm would help diffuse her already growing annoyance for him.

"This is serious," Blake sighed, probably beginning to regret allowing him to tag along in the first place. Sadly, Jaune could not find a reason why she shouldn't feel that way.

Well so much for the Arc charm.

"What I told you is very personal, and it's something I didn't even want to share with my team."

The fact that Blake Belladonna is a faunus and an ex-terrorist.

"I still consider being alone with a girl to be stranger…" he whispered low enough, so he wasn't heard.

"Jaune," oh right… she has four ears for hearing.

"Sorry," he apologized once again even beginning to get annoyed with himself. Now wasn't the time to look like an idiot in front of a girl. Honestly, not looking like a fool is his usual thought process but right now he had to apply it for a much more important reason.

Blake Belladonna ran away from Beacon – ran away from her team. Right now she didn't have anyone to rely on to help.

Except for him.

Which by all accounts she was better off on her own. But, instead of running away from him, she let him follow. Even though they've never spoken to one another before now the level of trust, she must have for him must be deeper than he had initially thought. Maybe when this is all over and they somehow sort everything out Blake might help him get a date with Weiss.

Yeah, he wished that was the case.

Not only did he have to chase after her all the way to the last departing ship, but he had to pay for her ticket too! Then she had the gall to try and ditch him! What kind of gratitude is that?! How anyone could be that rude and elusive was beyond him!

Also, he had serious doubts that Blake would ever help him get a date with Weiss, regardless whether they were friends or not.

However, despite all of that he intently listened when she spoke of her past, and how she was involved in the White Fang. Back then, she'd apparently been quite the rebel even as a kid, but it had always been for the right causes. It began as protests, and she was there for every rally and took part in every boycott. She told him that she believed that their protests were making a difference.

But as she said, it was just youthful optimism.

Eventually, what started as a movement for equality slowly became shaded in black. Those very same peaceful protests were cast aside for coordinated attacks – wooden signs of protest replaced with weapons. Shops that refused to serve faunus set ablaze. Companies such as the Schnee Dust Corporation would have their cargo hijacked for using faunus labor.

Apparently, it was working much to Jaune's dismay. Criminal actions gave more results than the protests ever could. The White Fang began to get the equality they desired, but it wasn't out of respect or good will. It was out of fear.

"So that's when you left," Jaune said, daring to pry even more information out of her even though he didn't deserve to know anything else. Blake was just a total stranger to him, but that doesn't matter to him in the slightest.

After all, strangers are only friends that you haven't met yet.

She mustn't have expected him to continue the conversation in any meaningful way, evident by the wrinkles of surprise appearing on her forehead. It hurt a little that she thought so little of him, but when her only experience with him was seeing his failed attempts at courting his snow angel three times a day, then that was understandable.

"That's when I left." She repeated, setting the white porcelain down. "I didn't want to use my skills to aid in violence." She sighed. "At the very least, I didn't want to contribute to any more senseless violence. So I chose to become a huntress." She didn't continue from there, and Jaune was just fine with that.

"So why do you wear that bow? Why would you hide what you are?" the glare he received from Blake quickly helped realize how stupid he was to ask that.

"Why do I hide _what_ I am. That was your question right? It's because of what I am that I wear this bow. I want people to see me for _who_ I am, Jaune. Not many people will do that if they know I'm a faunus." the former White Fang member didn't even look at him when she spoke, preferring the empty the white porcelain with a drink.

Did their kingdom truly see the faunus as such a huge burden? Compared to his small town of Astrea, Vale seemed far less tolerable of the faunus. Ever since he was a child, Jaune got to know everyone in his community. Human and faunus alike, it didn't matter in Astrea.

Perhaps the reason why people in Vale don't share the mentality of Astrea is because of the city's relative safety from the Grimm. If great walls have been the only protection needed for so long, then it made sense why the thought of unifying never crossed anyone's mind. Astrea was well fortified, but it was still just a small town. Walls aren't what pushed the Grimm back, it was the people. _"_ _We either fight together and survive or bicker and die."_ was what his dad told him one time.

With a sigh, Blake stood from her chair. "I'm leaving," as she walked away, she turned to him, just as he was getting up from his seat. "Just do whatever you want, and don't tell anyone that you saw me." For a very brief moment, he considered doing what she asked. He was sure that everything would work out on its own. So why get involved?

"The bill sir." The waiter said, setting the white slip of paper down for the blonde to see the damage his wallet would soon suffer.

 _And now I have a reason…_ Jaune felt his lips turn upward for the first time today.

* * *

"Why are you following me? I told you to go back to Beacon." Blake was beginning to question if blondes seemed to gravitate towards her. Yang was enough blonde in her life, thank you very much. She didn't need a second blonde to complicate things. The thought itself is chaotic enough.

"No, you told me to do whatever I wanted, so I'm doing just that. Besides," the blonde quickened his pace to block Blake's path, an accusing finger pointed directly at her. "you owe me for that cup of tea!" he exclaimed.

He can not be serious.

"It's just a cup of tea." she said dismissively.

"A cup of tea that cost me thirty Lien!"

"So it was expensive tea." She said, a blush slowly appeared on her cheeks. Blake had no idea it was that expensive. Next time when she brought money, she would need to look over the menu.

"Oh, but have you already forgotten, my fair maiden." She somehow resisted the urge to roll her eyes. What more could he possibly complain a- "I bought your ticket so you could get in Vale…" -ah, damn it.

Great, she was indebted to Jaune, and it didn't help that she tried to run away from him. She didn't expect the blonde to be so persistent— oh gods he was the most persistent guy she knew! Who else but he can ask the same crabby girl for a date three times a day?

"Fine, how can I repay you?" in the end she is in his debt and Blake Belladonna never stayed in one's debt. Of course, that did not mean she was going to accept anything he asked. If he asks for a date, she would sooner live with a dog than agree to that.

"Let me help you in any way I can."

There was no way he was serious? That's what he wants!

"No, I'd much rather be alone." It was more like she didn't want him to be with her. If someone were to help her, then it would preferably be someone more competent than the blonde in front of her. As it rude as it was, there was no denying the gap between Jaune and the rest of the first years at Beacon.

That wasn't to say he hasn't improved significantly. Pyrrha did wonders for Jaune, both in the theory and the practical side of the academy. But two months of training pales in comparison to the years she, Pyrrha and everyone else spent training.

Blake did not doubt that Jaune would inevitably come closer to their level, but with huge headstart they had over him, it was unlikely that he would ever surpass them.

"Look, you owe me for two things!" he said, emphasizing the amount of favors she owed him with two fingers. "Let me come with you, and I'll consider both debts paid." Or she could just run away. "Don't even think about it! If you try to run away again, I'll just chase after you like last time!"

Why did he have to be so persistent about this?! If Blake suddenly had white hair, light blue eyes and a personality as cold as ice then sure, she could see Jaune being this adamant about a temporary partnership.

"Look, I know you're capable on your own, but I don't want to leave a friend alone." Friend? They might as well be total strangers. No, that's what they are exactly!

"You don't know a thing about me. How can you stand there and say that you and I are friends?"

She had hopes that her stern gaze would make him stutter, like the Jaune she knew of, who would deflate at rejection. But that reaction befitting of a nervous school boy didn't surface. No, instead came a confident smile usually unbefitting of the blond in front of her, but was suited for Yang.

"I only need what you told me in that café, to know that you're trying to carry your problems alone, but you shouldn't do that." He gently rests his hand on the hilt of his sword, reminding her that she was not the only one who can fight. "I may not be as strong as you or any of our friends." That smile of his grew, but it was only slight and almost unnoticeable. "But I can still fight beside you, and shoulder some of the weight you're carrying."

She had no words to make a rebuttal. That pregnant pause of hers was the sign of her defeat, "Guess that means I'm staying." and the sign of his victory. That should never have happened.

... but it did.

Why?

Why do blondes gravitate towards her?

"So what's the plan?" Jaune's smile from earlier was gone, replaced with the most serious expression she's ever seen him have. _I'm surprised he's taking this seriously._ "We'll do whatever you think is best." Isn't he the leader of a team? Shouldn't coming up with a plan be his task?

Nevertheless, she began to contemplate what their next course of action would be.

"I still don't think the White Fang is behind these robberies. They have stolen dust before, but they've never needed this much." Dust isn't something that's sold well on the black market. After all, it is available everywhere, and anyone can buy the energy propellant. Shop owners didn't tend to ask questions when someone was making a purchase.

"Okay, so don't be angry when I say this." When she turned to look at him, she didn't even realize she was glaring at him until he flinched. "And you're already angry." With a sigh, she made sure to calm her expression and gave him the clear sign to go ahead. "What if they did need all that dust?"

And there goes her composure.

"Let me explain!" he quickly added as his hands came forward as some measly way of protection. "Look, the only way we can prove that they didn't do it, is to be at the place where the crime will likely take place." That…

That actually made logical sense. Maybe there is a reason he was made team leader.

"Hopefully, you'll be right about them, and we'll just stumble upon a different group of dangerous killers." He began to chuckle nervously, probably because the thought of dying crossed his mind. That, or maybe it was the glare she was using to try and end his life.

"As sound a plan as that is, I have no idea where that may be." At least it was a start. Now she can start investigating where the culprits might strike next. It'll take time, but she was willing to spend it.

"Lucky for you two I know just where to go." A male voice spoke from nearby. One that didn't belong to Jaune, yet it sounded familiar.

Simultaneously, she and Jaune look up to where the voice originated. There he was, using his tail to hang on a lamp post was that blond Faunus at the docks from earlier with the widest smile she could have possibly seen.

Said faunus then winked at her.

Why?

Why on Remnant do blonds gravitate towards her?

"I think he likes you…" Jaune whispered, unknowingly he rose her ire even more.

* * *

' _Stand guard outside the building and make sure no one sneaks up on us' she says. 'It's a crucial role' she says!_

Jaune only stood there in silence while Blake and Sun were overlooking the shipment of Dust containers. The two were on the roof of the building he was currently _guarding_. Gods, why does he have to get stuck with the boring job!

Then again, how much fun can the act of staring at shipping containers be?

There was only silence to answer him.

This whole night just sucks!

"I wish Blake would just make up with her team it's not right for her to abandon them." Even when he was alone, he still felt the need to say it. Jaune just doesn't want her to make the same mistake he made. Sure, in comparison to terrorists Cardin was insignificant, but his point still stood.

Trying to do things on your own will accomplish. Jaune would argue that doing things alone would make you go ten steps backward.

But it's worse for Blake. She's getting involved in something extremely dangerous without her team to help. This plan of theirs to not involve their friends was a horrible plan. If Blake could name ten things that were good about this plan, then Jaune can name two thousand things that were awful! _A hundred fold isn't enough to express how bad of an idea this was going to turn out._

Anyway...

For Blake's sake, he does hope that the White Fang isn't involved in these robberies. Truthfully, he had a feeling that she would be disappointed. While it does seem odd that so much dust is getting stolen, it would make sense if the perpetrators were ready for war.

So only a group aiming for conflict would need such a large quantity of dust.

The White Fang is such a group. Blake might disagree with this notion, but the once peaceful protest group she loved is essentially a terrorist organization. While it may be due to the new leadership she was talking about; it doesn't change that fact.

Whoever this leader may be, they are quite the wrathful one.

Jaune let out a sigh, instinctively rubbing the back of his head. What a mess he's gotten himself into. But he only has himself to blame, more specifically he has his hero complex to thank. Always eager to play the hero, that was him.

Even though he's willing to get involved with the potential threat of the White Fang, why can't he get over his damn motion sickness? Those flying metal prisons were far worse than a potential fight with terrorists.

Gods, if he has to see even _one_ Bullhead, he was going to be sick.

* * *

Fate did love to find ways to send him a big middle finger.

Sure, there may be not one, not two, but _three_ bullheads flying over the shipment of dust, but at least he wasn't inside those flying deathtraps. So while his stomach did feel nauseous at the mere sight of the three ships, it wasn't a cause for alarm.

One could make the assumption that the three airborne vehicles were probably there to transport the supply of energy propellant. At least, that was what Jaune assumed.

He wasn't wrong, but the ones who were exiting their transport were _not_ Schnee workers. It wasn't the guns and swords that the group of men carried that tipped the young man off. If anything he would have assumed that they were employed to be guards. No, what led him to his realization were the masks the men armored in gray were wearing. On each of their backs was a red insignia. Was it some kind of cat? Like a puma? Or maybe it was a wolf of some sort.

Are they the White Fang? If only he paid more attention to news reports to confirm it. He was sure that most news networks covered activities by the White Fang.

"Hey! What's the holdup!" a cocky voice called out, as he strolled casually down the ramp of the vehicle. "I know you animals aren't the most intelligent of creatures, but do you at least have the common sense to know that our entrance wasn't exactly subtle."

After a few brief moments of silence and stares from the working faunus, the redhead continued. "Translation: Pick up the pace!"

So they are faunus which means they're likely members of the White Fang. But why would they work with such a blatant racist? It didn't make sense. How could they tolerate to work with someone who openly despised and ridiculed them?

It didn't make sense at all.

"Hurry up and get them moved onto the Bullheads, and do try to be delicate. I don't know if you're aware – but the merchandise we're moving is rather volatile." Some of the faunus raised their faces towards the thief. If they were angry, their masks did well to hide it. No one spoke up. Instead, they decided to follow his orders, fanning out to tie long cables to various containers.

Jaune's knowledge of the White Fang may be limited to what Blake had told him – but he knew that the sight shouldn't be a reality. How could the faunus tolerate this criminal? For what reason would they want to help this-

"Brothers of the White Fang," Blake shouted as she slipped behind the tall criminal, the black steel of her sword held up to his throat. "Why are you aiding this scum?"

"Oh for fu-" he began.

 _Oh for fuck's sake!_ Jaune finished. Isn't he supposed to be the stupid one!? What on Remnant could have made Blake think that this was a good idea?! Was it Sun? If so, then he is not the brightest banana in the bunch!

 _And now I've unintentionally made a racist comment! This night just keeps getting better and better!_

"Answer me!" she said. "Why would you ever help Roman Torchwick– this racist?"

Jaune's eyes widened when he heard that name. Roman Torchwick, Jaune had listened to a few stories about that man. Apparently, he was a master thief with a weird sense of fashion. And weird it was. _What guy willing wears mascara?_ Jaune has worn it before, but never again!

"Didn't you get the memo kid?" The man she held hostage started to laugh, completely unconcerned about his threatened exposed throat – instead, it seemed more like an inconvenience to the criminal if that at all. "If you somehow couldn't tell the White Fang and I are going in on a joint business venture."

"Tell me what it is or I'll put an end to your little operation." Her threat did nothing to deter the admittedly fashionable man as he just smiles.

"Oh, I wouldn't exactly call it a little operation." He said. As if on cue, everyone could hear the roar of turbines. The cause being two Bullheads that were now hovering over the heist, and as Blake watches in horror Jaune notices what she is too distracted to see.

Roman started smiling – the ground between them exploded violently as whatever he fired from his cane struck, sending Blake tumbling to the concrete floor while the criminal remained unharmed.

Luckily she seemed unhurt, her aura absorbing the damage.

Jaune almost shouts for Blake to dodge when he sees Torchwick aim his cane at the fazed faunus. But he didn't get the chance, as the criminal fires a second shot. Blake dove to the side, scrambling to her feet as she fled more explosive shots from the infamous criminal. She eventually retreats behind more containers, giving herself a few moments of reprieve.

"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty." He taunted, "There's not a spray bottle on me, thief's honor." He laughed at his joke while still searching for Blake.

Sun jumped down to help and dispatched the White Fang with relative ease. The one-sided confrontation distracted the thief for a brief moment which Blake quickly took advantage of by coming in close. She became a blur of afterimages as she slashes at Roman from every possible angle. It was an incredible display of the unpredictability and speed of her semblance. Jaune's eyes couldn't track her movements at all.

Which was why it came as a surprise that Torchwick was blocking each would-be blow flawlessly. Despite the relentless assault, the criminal didn't show any signs of slowing down. He even retaliated landing a few hits on Blake.

Torchwick had hunter training. Which made Jaune more nervous than before.

Sun joins his attacks with Blake, both doing anything they can to land a hit on Torchwick. As bullets from Sun's weapons fly and Blake continues to swing her swords – sparks continued to soar around the three fighters. The orange-haired criminal began to laugh as they fought, holding the two students back with ease.

Jaune could only stand and watch helplessly for how could he possibly help against that criminal? Even with Sun's help Blake can't lay a finger on him. If he had his scroll with him, he could have called for help. Pyrrha, Ren, Nora, or _anyone_ could easily change the course of the battle!

Roman laughed as he ducked, avoiding Blake's attack while smacking Sun with the business end of the cane, ramming the weapon in his stomach and fired a shot, sending the faunus flying. The blonde's back slammed into a metal container, driving the air from his lungs as he fell to the base.

Without even sparing Blake a glance, Torchwick blocked her sword– using his free elbow to strike towards her face. The blow fazed her, allowing him to give the ex-White Fang member one final beating with his cane causing her to go down.

Just like that, he beat both of them.

"Thanks for the workout kitty-cat, but I prefer to exercise alone." Torchwick was strolling towards her, his cane spinning idly in one hand. "You understand; it wouldn't do for your cat hair to irritate my allergies." With his free hand, the criminal reached into his pocket to take out a cigar. "I'd rather not kill you kids even if you are just animals. It would just paint a bigger target on me." He then takes out a lighter. "Unfortunately for you, I can't risk the chance of you interfering any longer. I'm short on time, and I need to get as much dust as I can."

The moment he raised his lighter towards his mouth, Jaune finally struck. It wasn't an elegant swing by any stretch of the imagination, but he was putting a lot of his strength behind the attack.

"Well hello to you too," he greeted as he blocked the blonde's strike with one hand – using the other to light the cigar between his teeth casually. "Another kid to play with, I can't say I'm necessarily happy about it."

Jaune roared when he swung down again. The blade of his sword screeched against the metal cane as Torchwick blocked, but the force behind it must have surprised him as the strike made Torchwick quickly push the back of his free hand against the metal cane to reinforce his defense.

With a yell, he pushed his body forward, his weight causing Torchwick to topple over. He swung his sword downward, some concrete easily broke off when the blade hit.

Torchwick avoided the sword, but he still laid on the ground. Jaune held his arm up for another strike. Blue eyes widened when something rammed into his stomach, causing the air to explode out from his mouth. When his eyes lower to his abdomen, he sees that it was Torchwick's leather boot that kicked him.

Jaune grunted as he fell on one knee, taking a moment to catch his breath. He stood back up, seeing the man who countered him stand up as well. He ran towards the criminal again, hoping that the result would be different this time. Despite the close call from earlier, Torchwick was chuckling as he parried and deflected Jaune's every clumsy strike. It didn't come as a surprise that the older man seemed to have no trouble keeping up with him.

Lazily, he parries another swing – redirecting the strength of Jaune's strike to force his center balance to topple. As the weight of his own attack caused him to stumble a black gloved hand struck out, smacking the blonde's unguarded cheek and sending him tumbling back.

"Sorry kid, but this is just pathetic." One of Jaune's swings gets parried, and he gets punished with a bash to his head by the criminal's cane. "Don't get me wrong. I love easy fights as much as the next guy, but this is too sad." His cane moved to Jaune's left, which was easily slapped aside by the ancestral sword. The deflection meant nothing in the end as he received a punishing punch to the face that knocked him off his feet.

"Stay down, little knight. All you're doing is embarrassing yourself."

"Damn you," he cursed. Why can't he lay a finger on him? Shouldn't he just be a lowly criminal? So why does he have hunter training?

It doesn't matter. _I have to buy more time. Someone had to have heard all this by now._ There wasn't a chance in hell that he could beat Torchwick. Though his physical strength may be greater, that was all that was going for him, and even that was being used against him. But he could at least keep Torchwick busy until a trained hunter arrives.

"You've got spirit – but this isn't the time to try playing the hero." he stood a few feet from Jaune, resting arrogantly with both hands atop his cane. "And unfortunately for you... you don't have the ability to play the part either."

The orange-haired criminal lunged forward, thrusting his cane like a rapier. Jaune quickly hefts his arm up, the white shield blocked the blow easily. His defense held strong, and he was going to use this moment to push Torchwick back.

But when he heard a small click that plan was foiled. An explosion knocked Jaune's guard aside, allowing Torchwick to enter the blond's guard. With a smirk, the skilled criminal strikes his rib with the business end of the cane followed by a knee to the gut, causing Jaune to keel over.

But he stood right back up, defiant to fall.

"I have to admit kid; your determination is something else. Most people would have given up after the beat down I gave you." Roman stated, before suddenly being inside his guard yet again, knocking both his sword and shield aside – driving an elbow into his gut, and using the pole of his cane to knock him down. "- but this is the end for you."

His body was sore all over. Every subtle movement he made sent a jolt of pain throughout his body. _I've lost… there's nothing more I can do_. Jaune's eyes remained on the criminal, reflecting all of his emotions at once. His anger, frustration… even his fear.

"Sorry kid, you were in the wrong place at the wrong time." The criminal smiled, taking a long puff of his cigar as he aimed his cane at the defenseless blonde.

If Jaune were a better man, then perhaps he would have had righteous thoughts. 'He died helping his friends', or 'at least he was dying as a warrior instead of living like a coward.' _Screw that! I don't want to die! I still have things I want to accomplish!_ More than anything, he wanted to spend more time with his team.

He wanted to apologize to his family for abandoning them. To apologize for stealing his father's sword, to apologize for breaking his mother's heart, and to apologize for making his sisters lose their only brother!

 _I don't care if it's pathetic! I want to live!_

His eyes snap shut, unwilling to look at the criminal any longer.

"I want to survive…" he said in a whisper, hoping that the criminal didn't hear such pathetic last words. He could at least die with some dignity.

"Then you should have chosen a different profession." the criminal said in a low voice.

Then there was a brief pause.

Until metal clashed with metal, a short exchange of attacks between Torchwick and another.

"Oh hey, kitty-cat. You are a stubborn one aren't you?" Torchwick taunted, though Jaune could hear the way he was recovering from shock in his voice. One cobalt orb dared to look as he cracked his eye open, seeing the infamous criminal lean on his cane. His other eye opened, his gaze focused on where Roman's attention was.

"Blake…" there she was standing defiantly against Torchwick, even though her exhaustion plagued her body, evident by the way every breath she took in and released was violent and raspy.

"You're mine!" she shouted. Like some wild cat, she lunged at her prey with the black sword in hand.

"I'm, flattered kid, but you're a little too obsessive for my liking." Torchwick began to laugh as he effortlessly blocked a combination of attacks. He rebuked his attacker following with a swift strike – he made it look so easy as if even a child could mirror him.

Once again Blake hit the concrete floor and lay defeated. Both of her hands pushed down into the ground as she tried to get up. She almost wavered, but she somehow stood back up. The criminal smiled, taking a long puff of his cigar as he twirls his cane.

"You are just too persistent." The older man taunted, though it was evident in his voice that he was beginning to get frustrated. "Well, I think we can both agree that this has been an eventful evening and as much as I would love to stick around." He aims his cane at his weaponless target. "It's time we part ways…"

Torchwick pulled the trigger, sending a ball of dust powered inferno that Jaune knew would hurt.

Then he heard the blare of the explosion.

And Jaune felt the flames consume his back.

* * *

"J-Jaune?" she whispered, staring at his white chest plate as he held her close. His hand rested on top of her head, brushing against her exposed feline ears. With each exhale of his exhausted breathing, the warm air would tickle her sensitive ears.

"…Jaune…?" She whispered again before looking up at her savior. He looked down at her to see the question her eyes conveyed to him. Why would he save her?

"I am not… going to sit back and do nothing!" he said, even though breathing on its own must have been challenging enough as it was. "Even if I can't fight – even if I'm weak. I refuse to step back and watch a friend get hurt." Those cobalt orbs hardened a sudden flash of anger. "I can at least shield you from pain! I will… protect you!"

Blake flinched at his declaration. It came as more than a surprise to see him of all people raise his voice in such a way. At this moment he sounded different. There was an edge to his voice. It wasn't a helpless boy that said those words, but a confident warrior.

Not surprising but still unwelcomed, the criminal burst out into uproarious laughter, holding his cigar so it wouldn't fall out of his mouth. His other hand that held his cane was pressed up against his chest as the mirth proved almost too much for him to handle.

"Kid you crack me up!" it took him a few more seconds to finally calm down. "Truly you are a knight in shining armor. You're like the hero in this storybook I once read when I was a kid." Jaune glanced back at the criminal, his focus solely on him his back turned to Blake.

From the blast, the once shiny white back plate of his armor was scorched. Ruined and completely torn apart was the piece of protection, and it did little to protect him. His skin was an ugly black and red with fresh blisters riddling his fresh wound. Because of her stubbornness, he was deeply burned.

Jaune's wound could become a scar, and she was the one to blame.

His pain was all her fault.

"It was my choice," his gaze was still centered on the criminal, which allowed her to continue staring at the hideous wound on his back. Since when could he read people without even looking at them? Or was she always so bad at hiding her emotions? "Remember Blake; I chose to follow you so getting hurt is _my_ fault."

But it was her fault! She didn't try hard enough to push him away. Why couldn't she have run away like all the other times? It would have been for his sake.

"You know, at least I got to be your hero. It would have been nice if Weiss saw, but I'll take what I can get."Jaune let out a short laugh, but it sounded so forced compared to all the other times she's heard his voice at Beacon. When they ate at the cafeteria, he would always laugh, whether it was something humorous that Nora did, one of Yang's awful puns or even when he became the butt of a joke. No matter what, when he laughed it would always reveal his most common emotion.

He always sounded happy.

"You really are just a naive kid chasing after a foolish dream…" Torchwick growled. "So you want to play the part of a hero. Go right ahead!" Torchwick shouted as he dropped his unfinished cigar on the ground, his usual smirk now gone for whatever reason. "But know that you're just going to die, and be forgotten like every other huntsman in history!" with a stomp he crushed the cigar allowing the ash to dirty his shoe. "That's your future kid…"

What was with this animosity? Sure they were getting in his way, but Torchwick didn't seem like the type of person to get this angry about it. At the very least he wouldn't show it.

"Farewell _hero_ , it's been fun." He said as he aimed his cane without hesitation. "Better luck in your next life."

Despite his injuries, Jaune shielded her with his whole body in preparation for another blast. But he wouldn't survive the next one. At this point, his aura must be gone.

If he gets hit by another blast, Jaune will...

He will…

"You'll die…" she whispered.

"I know," he replied with a shaky voice. "But I don't care." Liar, his whole body, was shaking as he stood his ground. It might have been the pain he was subjected to, but Blake had a feeling that it was because of how scared he was.

Scared that he was going to die in just a few moments.

* * *

Hope you guys liked it.

This story is going to be a _realistic_ romance of the pairing. The inspiration for this story is from Coeur Al'Aran, a superb writer. More specifically, his story One Good Turn Deserves Another is what gave me the push I needed to start writing. Hopefully my story can be as successful, but in the end, I only really want to write a story that I can be proud to have authored.

Many of you probably hate the fact that Jaune isn't some godly hunter in this story, but I guarantee that the growth he'll go through will more than make up for it. I plan on having him become an accomplished fighter, but as stated at the beginning of this story.

Progress is a slow upward climb.

So yeah, I hope you guys enjoy what's to come.

Also, tell me if you like the title of the story. I decided with Black and Jaune(ish) White because of the episode this story starts. Since Jaune wasn't in Black and White, I thought it would be clever to insert his name in the title. Since his name is yellow in Latin, and his armor is white, I was like "Hey if Jaune is in this episode then its Black and Yellowish White! Ha ha ha ha ha... ha... ahem. Anyway, if you think I should change the title, then I'm sure I can think of something.

Later~

* * *

Omake 1: The Ship Crashes

Blake's back was turned, her ebony hair gently blowing in the wind as her feline appendages twitched ever so slightly. Jaune would have stared at her backside for longer if he didn't notice the way her hand reached up to her face.

She was crying that much was obvious.

Part of him wanted to leave her be, and not deal with whatever it is she's dealing with as he has his drama, so adding a woman's long, complicated set of problems was not on his list of priorities.

But in the end, he is the main character of this story so helping her is mandatory. Once he swoops in and saves the day, he'll be rewarded with a kiss, a date, sex, marriage and more sex! It doesn't even have to be in that order!

"Blake…" it's the first time he's ever talked to her; the first time he's ever even said her name. It was the only thing he could even think to utter at the sight of the young woman before him. But it doesn't matter for he has the main character status, which meant no matter what he said to get her attention she'll fall in love with him the moment their eyes meet.

As expected, she seemed to jump at first, startled by the sound of his voice. After all, it was far too late for anyone else to be outside their dorm.

 _This is it…_

She turned to him and met his knowing gaze. As expected there were stray tears that had begun their decent. When the drops escape her eyes, they somehow reveal small rainbows. It was a scene one would find in a romance anime. Guy meets girl, and they fall desperately in love with one another.

Jaune fell for her indeed.

 _In this moment… I think I've already fallen in love with you, without even having a proper conversation._

How magical — love, at first sight, that is. Two people who know next to nothing about each other are already horny for one another. Next chapter they can have steamy intercourse and you, the readers, can make sure no one else is in the house, close the door to your room, lock it for extra security, and master-

"Why are you pointing a gun at me?" Jaune asked, quickly climbing back up from falling for the woman currently threatening him. She didn't say a word as she lowered her aim to his lower body. The woman's intended target was clear, and if her aim was true.

 _Then I can say goodbye to ever ditching virginity…_

The unfortunate thing about this night, depending on whose point of view, was that Blake's aim was true.

Thus ends the voyage of all the ships in the RWBY fandom, at least, those involving Jaune Arc, which is the same as saying that all the ships that matter have sunk.

Damn… that's just savage.


	2. Blondes and Gingers Everywhere!

**Sorry for the LONG wait guys! I just want to let you all know that I did not intend for such a delay on the second chapter. Things came up, and I was focused on that at the time.**

 **BUT NO LONGER! I may be a simple nobody in the grand scheme of things, but I shall deliver thee entertainment! The 110 favorites and 145 followers can now rejoice!**

 **But first I have to thank you all for reading. Thank you for supporting my first story.**

 **A special thanks to the reviewers of the first chapter. I love each and every one of you guys... and girls I'm not sexist. I would like to thank you too.**

 **Ignis823- I am happy to know that you think it was a good start. Personally, I felt it was rushed in some places but what's done is done. I can assure you that future chapters will be of much higher quality for you viewing pleasure.**

 **ShadowGOUF- Glad you're hooked, I know Yang is going to need a hook- ha ha! Actually, she is going to need a lot more than a hook. I mean, she _did_ lose her entire arm. Uh... whatever it was still a good joke.**

 **IWEYC- You read the first chapter at 7 in the morning? Dang... well I am glad you liked it! I will be sure to improve the quality of the story for you viewing experience to get even better! We have a long road ahead of us, friend.**

 **Dread Knight N7- I wouldn't say it is well written yet, but this story will definitely have a lot of elements inspired by Couer. After all, he is a great author, and I hope to reach his level eventually... I hope... a man can dream! Also, I can't believe I put that Jaune was Latin for yellow! I knew it was French for yellow, but I didn't even think about it when I was writing!**

 **ArmantusCumPinnae- It's okay to be crazy. And yes, that omake was savage.**

 **Spangle Jenks- One Good Turn is on my top 5 for sure. Also, I am super happy that you like the first chapter. This second chapter is much better in quality in my opinion.**

 **theycallmebeanz- I may not like beans, but I do like all the things you listed. I am glad that this story got your attention. If this story's quality does eventually reach the level of Couer or SSC, then that would be exciting!**

 **TheSoviets- Well, Torchwick _is_ awesome. I can't have Jaune Arc defeat the best villain in the show in chapter one!**

 **ThrowAwayAccount123- My friend, as you have said Jaune was an edge lord in the first chapter. I will freely admit that I should have handled the beginning of the chapter better. As we discussed, I had felt that your other complaints were only posted as a way of trolling. You used a guest account for the first review, and I was given the option to delete the review, so I went ahead and did just that. But what's done is done, I can't change my mistakes. Hope to have a good talk again! (No that is not sarcasm, I really did enjoy our conversation.)**

 **Lelouch of the Rebellion- BEST FRIEND! I cannot believe I forgot to credit you! Pardon, my rudeness! Everyone, this man right here was indeed the beta reader for the first chapter, and I am ashamed to have forgotten to credit him. Well, no more! Lelouch, you will receive credit where credit is due! I could not have done this without you! Well, I could, but it would not have been the same!**

 **The Space Walrus- What a majestic name you have. Also, thank you for the review. I'm glad you liked it and do not worry good sir. Jaune will not be a depressing character for seemingly no reason.**

 **The 10th Wand- What do the letters X and D have to do with the omake? You are a strange creature. (Obvious sarcasm should be obvious, but isn't because you are reading a list of text so you can't hear the tone of my voice, thus the likely hood of you knowing that I was being sarcastic is close to zero.) What a weirdo...**

 **Dark-Syaoran- You know what else is sweet? Blake's sexy body. God, I would do terrible, terrible things to her... Did that come off as weird?**

 **BlackLight181- This story means a lot to me, so it makes me happy to hear that you liked it so much. Glad that someone decided to recommend this story to you, too.**

 **Nexus Bladeguard- I hate IGN. But I love knightshade!**

 **Now, on to the second chapter of this thrilling adventure!**

 **Beta Reader: Lelouch of the Rebellion**

* * *

Jaune Arc did not want to die tonight.

Not an original thought when one was about to die, but truthfully he didn't care about originality at the moment.

Right now, Jaune stood his ground. He was using his body as a shield, for someone who might as well be a complete stranger to him. For most people, it would be a ridiculous notion. Why would he risk his life for someone he knew nothing about and who knew nothing about him?

Well, he would have to blame his mom for that. It's funny. When his mother told him that strangers were only friends he hasn't met yet, it was only a line she used to encourage him to talk to others when he was a grade-schooler. Back then he was a child terrified of meeting new people. Afraid of embarrassing himself in front of others. Those were simple times.

Now, though. Even as Torchwick aimed his weaponized cane. His mother's words were the inspiration Jaune needed to protect Blake, his friend. The smile he had must have made him look like quite the idiot, as he heard Torchwick's annoyed growl.

"You'll die..." it was a whisper that he barely heard. But the gravity of those words made his smile collapse. What Blake said was true. He would die. He didn't need her to tell him that. After all, the agonizing pain on his back was enough to convince him of the outcome of his actions.

Intense heat would be the last thing he feels this night.

"I know." he may have replied in a shaky voice, but at least he was able to speak. "But I don't care." He was even able to tell a lie. But the way his body was quivering in fear, the chance that she believed him were slim at best. _I may be afraid to die_. Jaune wished there was another way. _But I won't move_!

Jaune Arc would stand his ground to the end.

When a shot rang out, Jaune flinched his eyes close in preparation for the agonizing heat.

He could still only feel the cold air brush against his face. There wasn't even an explosion to be heard, and instead, he could recognize the screeching of metal skidding across the pavement. Two blue orbs dared to peek as he cracked his eyes open, seeing Roman Torchwick with an expression that wasn't arrogance for once but of shock.

What on Remnant could have him worried?

"Jaune!" a voice far to his right cried for him. His gaze tracked the owner in an instant, and he felt so relieved when he saw her. All his trepidation and pain went numb as he stared at his savior. As smoke escaped the barrel of a large red rifle, _she_ stood on the roof of a building. From this distance, he couldn't see her face, but it wasn't hard to imagine her expression softening into relief.

Ruby Rose had saved his life.

She must have felt so comforted to have made in on time. If Ruby had been a second too slow, then a different shot would have rung out, and a different target would have been hit. Jaune would have ceased to be, and Ruby would probably blame herself. It didn't come as a surprise to him that she cared so much. She would always tell him how he was her first friend at Beacon. He could imagine her crying for hours on end because of him dying.

And the thought made him so furious that he didn't care that his nails were digging into his now bloody hands.

"Well, hello to you too Red! Didn't mommy ever tell you that it was rude to interrupt an adult?" the skilled criminal didn't seem nervous by the girl's sudden appearance. Torchwick had just beaten three hunters in training handily, so a third shouldn't pose a threat. As strong as Ruby was, Jaune had a feeling that she would only be a slight inconvenience to Torchwick.

Well, she probably wouldn't have been a cause for concern if his weapon was on hand, and not laid on the ground far from his reach. Ruby may be a prodigy, but it was still a surprise that she was able to disarm Torchwick despite the considerable distance between them.

Jaune went from impressed to outright stunned when a flash of familiar bronze appeared in his vision.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that it is _rude_ to hurt someone's friend?"

"Pyrrha," he gasped at the sight of his partner. As strong as Ruby was, having Pyrrha was the same thing as bringing an army! Who cares how good Torchwick is when Pyrrha Nikos was here?

Jaune wasn't able to smile, however. He _was_ happy to his partner. In fact, this had to have been the greatest thing to have happened in the past couple of days. But he couldn't stop the hollow feeling in his chest when he saw her. To put it more accurately, it wasn't her presence that made him feel this way, but the expression his best friend had as she aimed her rifle at Torchwick.

Unrelenting hatred.

There wasn't a single trace of Pyrrha's gentle smile to be found, and Jaune couldn't help but feel terrified of his partner even if she was angry for his sake. However, Torchwick did not seem as affected as Jaune was. Given the soft laugh that he let out as his one visible eye searched for something. Perhaps he was looking for the remainder of his subordinates. More likely, however, the thief might have been hoping to find some way of escape.

Thankfully, neither had presented itself as the last group of White Fang members went flying into the air from the swing of a mighty hammer, ensuring that escape was next to impossible. And as an icing on this incredible metaphorical cake, Jaune could hear a quiet whimper coming from Torchwick.

To be perfectly honest, Jaune had probably imagined that.

"Jaune! How could you forget to invite us?!" As quickly as she beat those White Fang members, the ginger jumped to his side. Her exhilarant turquoise eyes seemed to sparkle as the ginger twirled her mighty hammer. But there was something hidden in her cheerful gaze. It was so subtle that Jaune almost missed the way her eyes looked him up and down to see his injuries.

"Nora, I'm sure our leader has his reasons." a masculine voice joined in, interrupting his musing.

He tiredly turned to see Ren, the voice of reason on his team. Or at least, the only person that could calm the storm that was Nora Valkyrie. Which begged the question of why Ren wasn't the team leader of their team?

Jaune opened his mouth to speak to tell his only male friend that he was glad to see the two of them.

Only to close his mouth when Ren's delicate pale hands grasped his shoulders. His friend's hold was strong, but he could feel the way they trembled. It reminded him of himself just a few moments ago when he was about to die.

 _So even Ren can get scared_ , Jaune thought with a sad smile.

Thinking back, Jaune had always seen his friend as the disciplined one in the group. Behind a stoic mask of calm, his emotions were always in check. There was never a moment when he saw that mask of impassivity break. Which was why it came as a surprise that when looking into those magenta eyes, he saw the same underlying emotion that Nora had. Ren was relieved and afraid at the same time.

Relieved that the leader of JNPR was alive, but afraid to even consider the possibility of arriving too late.

Jaune wanted to apologize right then and there.

"You're late," he said instead with a weak laugh, earning a smile from Ren. It seemed a little forced, but that was okay. The leader of JNPR had gotten himself hurt. Expecting his friend not to worry was beyond the limitations of stupidity.

"We never got an invitation," he replied, a small trace of humor laced in his voice.

Seeing his team and Ruby had lifted his spirits. It was as if restraints that were so tight they stuck to his skin had been removed for the first time in years. It made him realize just how stupid he was for not having his scroll on him. If he had called his friends for help, then he wouldn't have been injured, Sun would not have had to get involved with them, and Blake wouldn't have had to deal with her problems alone with someone like him.

He didn't help Blake in any significant way.

Jaune flinched when he felt cold air blowing on his back. Even the gentle breeze that touched his raw burn made him want to scream out in pain. It was as if the skin on his back was being cooked off by an amateurish chef. His injury proved that he still had a lot of training to do. His only saving grace was his aura reserves something he didn't earn but was given.

Without the living energy that protected him, the blond would have died in the first ten seconds of his fight.

How could Roman Torchwick be so skilled in the first place? Jaune had seen news reports about him before and had always assumed that the ginger was a petty crook. It's one thing for the thief to defeat _him_ effortlessly, but it was an entirely different matter for him to brush aside Blake _and_ Sun. The only plausible reason was that he had the training of a huntsman. The way he blocked and parried every attack that came his way was akin to a hunter.

As much as he hated the vast gap in skill between him and Torchwick the most offensive part about their defeat was how untouchable he seemed. Then there was that smile he had the whole time they were fighting. It was just like the one his lips formed now despite being surrounded. Confident and unafraid of the _kids_ around him.

Despite supposedly being a lowly criminal, the fight with Roman Torchwick reminded Jaune of how he saw his partner and even his father.

A seemingly invincible warrior.

"I remember now! You're the Cereal Girl!" he cheered as if the gun pointed at his head didn't exist. "I am such a huge fan! In fact, you've done many great services for me!" he continued, adding a little extra sarcasm that anyone could spot. "I've made many bets during your tournament days, and let me tell ya. I won a lot of money because of you!"

That bastard just seemed to know how to get under a person's skin. Jaune noticed the cold gaze from Pyrrha had quickly sparked into a wildfire of anger which Torchwick didn't appear fazed by as he chuckled at the silent death threat.

To think that he wasn't frightened of his partner was astonishing.

"What's wrong? Does the Invincible Girl not approve of a _bit_ of gambling?" he taunted, looking like he enjoyed the way his words worked as daggers to the redhead.

His laughing stopped once the barrel of Milo tapped the back of his head. So reminding him that a gun was trained on him was good enough to make him not so talkative anymore. It was moments like these that made Jaune think to invest in getting a firearm. At least just for the intimidation factor of it.

"Not when evil men like you profit from it." Torchwick rolled his eyes at the redhead's response.

"Do all kids these days just look at the world as black and white? How can you define what I do to be evil?" so he was trying to be profound now. For whatever reason, Jaune wasn't so surprised by that. "I do whatever I can to survive like everybody else. The world isn't so sunshine and rainbows that everyone can endure life's hardships by being upstanding citizens," Torchwick began to smile when his eye found Jaune. "and we can't all try playing the hero."

Those words traveled to Jaune's heart like an arrow.

"Each and every one of you wants to be a hunter, right? Well, since you want the job so badly here's food for thought. When do you ever hear about one of your _guardians_ dying?" no one gave him a response to his question. Jaune wished it was because he didn't want to entertain Torchwick with an answer, but in truth, it was because of how rare it actually was to hear about the death of a hunter. When there was a topic about a hunter, it usually entailed about their successes. As rare as it was, when there was news of a fatality, it was because of their heroics on the field.

It reminded him and so many other people that there was hope in the world, that the people of Remnant could not give up against the creatures of nightmares.

"You never do, unless it's about how their life was spent for the _greater_ good!" Torchwick echoed the blond's thoughts and started to laugh as if he understood a joke that no one else caught.

Jaune couldn't find any humor from Torchwick's words. That bastard was mocking the very thing he dreamed of becoming for so long, and for that, there was no conclusion to how angry Jaune was at this very moment.

Where was Torchwick even going with this?

"I'm not surprised that you can't find the humor in what I'm saying." he seemed amused when he should be angry given his situation. Was there another reason for his constant talking, or was this just how he always was? "Since the Grimm are still the pesky threat they've always been, the council of this _well_ -respected kingdom deems it necessary to keep the juicy details of your heroes under wraps."

Okay? Is Torchwick saying that huntsmen were also secret agents? What was he getting at, though? Is there some conspiracy theory that Torchwick was making up on the fly to distract them?

Great, now Jaune was _actually_ interested in what Torchwick was saying.

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Torchwick didn't seem to care about the uncomfortable silence. "You only need to understand one basic fact for all this to make sense. The easiest way to prevent unrest, and to ensure gloom never spreads is to-." Torchwick never got to finish as the barrel of Pyrrha's rifle bumped the back of his head. "Hey! Watch the hat!"

"I think we've heard enough," Pyrrha seethed. The only reason she would be angry, is if she had she somehow decipher what the ginger haired thief was trying to say?

Regardless, the talkative criminal had finally shut his mouth.

Despite how he cared more about his hat than the ones who surrounded him, Jaune knew for certain that Torchwick didn't have any way of escaping. Not unless he was skilled enough to defeat four hunters in training.

Could he be that strong?

Just the thought of him escaping gave Jaune a migraine. He just wanted to take a nap and forget about this night. But if he did that and Torchwick did escape, it could very well be _his_ fault. Though he was injured there might be something that he could do to help. If Roman Torchwick is skilled enough to defeat his friends, then perhaps he can buy more time until the police show up. Or better yet an active hunter might be in the area, and subdue the criminal.

These constant thoughts that barraged him were too taxing for his mind. Every moment that passed his vision would get blurrier. The longer Jaune tried to will himself awake, the more tired he got. How was he going to help in such an inactive state? _I wasn't much help in the first place._

Then there was his injury and lack of aura.

As much pain as he was in Jaune felt worse over the absence of his aura. He felt so hollow and cold that he might as well be a living corpse because that gentle warmth that his aura always provided was completely gone. Coupled with his burn, it was as if the rays of the Sun cooked his body, while an unforgiving winter happened from within.

He couldn't stop the sigh he let out. There was not a thing Jaune could do, but it was his team that was up against Torchwick. Ruby was there too, providing support from afar. The blond's friends were a force to be reckoned with so he needed to have faith in them. While Blake and Sun may have lost the two had never fought _together_.

His team on the other hand. Well, they were a team for crying out loud! They were _his_ team. Despite what anyone would say, he was their leader, and friend. As such he made it his responsibility to ensure that their symmetry was as good as it could be. They had been working together since the beginning of their education at Beacon, and without a doubt in his mind, they made an incredible team.

So no, there was no way that Torchwick could win. While the thief may be on a higher level than his friends individually, barring Pyrrha perhaps. It was an entirely different situation for Torchwick to combat all of them at once. With Ruby providing sniper support there was no plausible way for him to win.

Besides, if Torchwick _could_ escape, wouldn't he have made a move during his speech? Everyone seemed captivated enough by it, well Jaune at least was focused on it.

Torchwick won't escape.

 _We won..._ That single thought eased his once troubled mind, and he was aware that the grin he had made him look like a mischievous child who got away with the greatest prank in history. After that grueling fight, he could finally let his guard down. He had willed himself to stay awake for so long, but now the little resistance he had left was surrendering.

After the night he went through he deserved a little rest. He had spent a lot of lien for a girl who was trying to avoid him. Had to fight a losing battle that put a huge blow to his pride, not to mention that he was also in the most pain he has ever experienced.

So yeah, sleep sounded _fantastic_ right about now. Still smiling, Jaune met darkness without a care that he would fall. The young Arc almost didn't notice that someone had caught him. His first guess was Pyrrha, but she was too far away to catch him, that and she had to keep her eyes on Torchwick. He would have assumed that it was Ren or Nora, but the grunt he heard when the weight of his body collapsed on his catcher was someone else entirely.

"I've got you," she said.

He would have to thank Blake later when he woke up.

* * *

Despite his seemingly lanky appearance, Jaune was heavier than Blake had imagined he'd be. She almost buckled from the weight of his body when he fell on her. With help from Ren, they set the team leader down on his stomach so to not aggravate his injured back. Ren seemed as stoic as ever when they set the blonde down. She wanted to ask how he could remain so calm despite what had happened, but she stopped herself as she saw it. Saw the latent hatred in his eyes as he saw that horrible burn upon his leader's skin. Golden eyes looked upon it as well, and her stomach dropped.

The skin on the center of his back was black like charcoal from the intense heat of Torchwick's attack. Blake followed the extents of the damaged tissue, amidst the blackened skin were spots that exposed his red flesh with erected blisters that looked as if they could burst at any given moment.

Then there was the repulsing smell of his damaged flesh.

It amazed her that she didn't throw up, but she was more stunned at the fact that Jaune hadn't cried out from the torture he must have been experiencing. When he was awake, Blake didn't even see tears from those blue eyes of his.

But Jaune had to have been in pain there was no question about it. That idiot was in such agony because he followed after her. Why did he have to be so stubborn? How could he not tell that she didn't want him to get involved?

Why was he such a fool? Blake thought, biting the bottom of her lip. No, Jaune wasn't an idiot. As much as she wanted to deny her fault in this, she was part of the reason for his affliction. Jaune was only trying to do what he believed was right. Even if he had no reason to be here, this was her fault.

 _If anyone is a fool, it would be me._ If Blake could see herself in the mirror, she knew that her eyes softened at the sight of Jaune's sleeping form. Even though he must be suffering, he still looked so peaceful as he slept, like a tiny child who was blissfully unaware of the dangers around him. How could she have let him be a part of her problems? She should have kept her distance- reject his help so he could go back to Beacon. He probably would have felt dejected that she shunned him... but he would have been safe.

That was what mattered.

Instead, he was allowed to know her past by her volition. Once again she made a mistake, only this time, it was because she didn't run away. How is it that running away could be so inconsistent? In some ways, running away can hurt the ones she cares for, but in this case, her decision not to run has caused someone to be on death's doors possibly.

Why was it that no matter what she does someone gets hurt in some way?

"-ake. Blake,"

It was Ren who guided Blake out of her daze, who also let out an exhausted sigh when their eyes met. Already he was fatigued it would seem. The sight of his leader and friend must have been taxing on his mind. Blake couldn't blame him. She may not have known much about Jaune, and she was worried sick about him. Blake couldn't imagine how Ren must be feeling.

Then there was Pyrrha, who must be in shambles right now. Blake knew for certain that the only reason why the redhead wasn't bawling her eyes out, was because the one who hurt Jaune was in her presence, free for her to punish.

"Watch him, please." she accepted the request with a nod. It was the least Blake could do for the stoic member of JNPR. It was her fault for putting Jaune and his team through this mess in the first place.

She watched as the members of her savior's team surround Torchwick in a triangle formation. Blake made a quick glance over to Ruby, seeing that the team leader was still on the roof with her sniper aimed. The four had blocked any path of escape for the criminal. Torchwick must have realized it as well, as she heard the bigot let out a low growl of annoyance.

"Honestly, if I had known that it was time for recess for you all, I would have canceled this heist." Torchwick chuckled. "What is with you kids? In my day, I knew when to stay out of something bigger than me." how he could find ways to antagonize them given his situation was beyond the heights of irritation. First was his speech about hunters that Pyrrha thankfully interrupted, now this. Did he always have to try and seem like he held the advantage against everyone?

No one gave the talkative criminal a response. Instead, the three members of JNPR let their weapons handle the conversation. With the addition of Ruby's Crescent Rose, there were four firearms pointed at Torchwick, which meant four different ways of receiving pain. Problematic for him, but oh how satisfying it was for Blake. She would have aimed _her_ weapon if not for the fact that her body was far too exhausted to lift Gambol Shroud.

It was not a complete victory, but a victory nonetheless. In the end, that was what mattered. Though Torchwick of all people beat her pride and body, at least she played a part in his capture.

"You are under arrest," Pyrrha said in a quiet voice. It was like the final scene in a clichéd cop drama. She being the officer who finally caught the antagonist, and Torchwick being the criminal who caused so much suffering. If this were such a story, then this would be the ending scene of the dramatic film.

It was an ending Blake would have liked to see.

But this was the real world.

Three bullheads flew above, a dozen White Fang troops from each ship jumped off with the arsenal of a militia, their sudden appearance causing chaos. It happened so fast and abruptly that even a champion like Pyrrha was stunned by it all for a brief second.

Which gave Torchwick all the time he needed to knock the redhead aside and run to his weapon. Despite the surprise, Pyrrha made to run after him only for members of the terrorist cell to stop her. She expertly dodged and knocked aside her attackers with precise strikes, displaying how well deserved her title of champion was.

Before, Blake would have been sad to see her former comrades batted aside so effortlessly. But given the recent events of tonight.

Steel skid across the bronze blade and Pyrrha quickly kicked the masked assailant, the point of her heel cracking the mask, no doubt giving the faunus a well-deserved concussion.

Blake wasn't so upset about it now.

The grunts didn't pose a threat to the other two members of JNPR either. Like their teammate, they batted aside their opposition with an ease that befitted hunters in training. Nora using her unmatched brute strength to swing her hammer to defeat crowds of enemies, while Ren expertly used his martial arts and weapons to overcome any foe that would dare try to attack him or his friend.

But what worried Blake was the bigot who was escaping. Still running, Torchwick stretched his hand out for his cane. She stood to pursue only to yelp in pain as her legs gave out. _No, not now_! As loathed as she was to admit it, with his weapon Torchwick was above most of their level. Her aching body and Sun's unconscious form was proof of that.

Pyrrha she could see winning. Her polarity would give her a much-needed edge in dealing with him, and when it came to fighting other warriors, the redhead was the best there was. She was a champion, an undefeated one at that. But after Blake's defeat at the hands of Torchwick, she was still uncertain of the outcome of a fight between the two.

Thankfully, she would not have to wait and see who would win in such a match. A shot echoed out, and the cane Roman Torchwick sought to reclaim ricocheted away. The crack of the gun that rang out was familiar and welcomed as it belonged to a one of a kind crimson sniper.

As a true testament to his character, Torchwick didn't hesitate to leave his weapon behind. That scum of Remnant readily abandoned the deadly cane that he likely spent long agonizing days and nights perfecting in its craftsmanship all so he could escape. The smarter choice would have been to shoot the coward, but Blake knew that her leader didn't have it in her to risk hurting someone.

Ruby would probably go on a rant about the criminal's neglect of his weapon, before actually bringing harm to another. Aura or not, Ruby would never have willingly shot Torchwick. Aura isn't invincible no matter how grossly fantasized it is by others.

When one of the bullheads landed its hatch opened, and Torchwick's pace had somehow quickened, demonstrating that he was far faster than the average person. In just a matter of seconds, he was going to get away.

No! After subjugating herself to such a humiliating defeat by that damned bigot, he could not be allowed to escape! Someone had to stop him, anyone! Blake didn't care who just as long as they had the power to stop him! Allowing that villain to continue his crimes would be the worse possible outcome.

Her plea came in the form of a flash of green light that tore the aircraft asunder. Miraculously, the crew members survived, probably in great pain but alive. Blake didn't know if it was because of calculations impossible for a person or by divine protection the crew had. It could even have been dumb luck for all she knew. With the things Blake has seen and been through, anything seemed plausible. It honestly didn't matter to her in the end, though.

What mattered was that Torchwick looked like a moron as he gaped at the remains of his former getaway ride.

"Are you serious!?" the thief shouted as he looked towards the source of the light. Everyone still conscious, White Fang members included, all took a moment to look where that piercing light had originated.

Like Torchwick, Blake's jaw dropped.

It wasn't the floating swords that made her stunned. It wasn't even because it was the girl that Blake's team literally ran into at town just a couple of days ago. No, what left her speechless was that the girl kept waving at everyone in-

"Salutations!" the strange girl exclaimed as if she didn't destroy a bullhead just seconds ago.

"Penny!" Ruby dropped down from her vantage point and zoomed towards the strange girl in a mere moment. Silver eyes looked the girl up and down to clarify if she was real.

Blake would have pinched herself to confirm if this was a dream, but that would have required what little energy she had left. So whether this was a fantasy or not could be figured out later. For now, she was just happy that someone had stopped Torchwick from escaping.

"You kids just keep getting weirder!" if Torchwick were anyone else, Blake would have pitied the man.

"Oh, I do apologize mister, but I believe you are what people refer to as a bully. So I felt that it was my duty to stop you!" the strange girl looked at Ruby with bright eyes, as if questioning the younger girl if what she said was acceptable.

Other than the unsure smile Ruby had, the response she gave was a thumbs-up.

"I hate you. I hate all of you from the bottom of my heart," Torchwick said as his hands rose in surrender.

"Wait, so does that mean we won?"

"I think so, Nora," Ren said with a confused expression.

Blake had a feeling that everyone was confused at this given moment.

* * *

"I'm surprised that Nora didn't have the last explosion," Ren said with a relieved sigh, as he and everyone else in their group watched a disheveled Torchwick without his hat get taken away by the Vale law enforcement. Blake couldn't help but smirk when he was forced into the back of the officer's car, saying something along the lines of 'take it easy.'

Did _he_ take it easy during their fight?

Thinking back, he probably did which annoyed her to no end. She had been an operative of the White Fang. Trained by Adam Taurus, one of the most skilled individuals she had ever met yet she couldn't beat a crook.

It was embarrassing, to say the least.

Back then, she would dread the inevitable moment when Adam found out. _Honestly, just imagining how angry he would be is_ still _terrifying_.

"You mean the last word, right?" Sun asked with a raised brow, referring to Ren's earlier statement.

"Oh come on Ren! You know my dust canisters don't cause explosions _that_ large!" Nora said with her usual crazed smile, wearing a bowler hat. _Is that_ _Torchwick's_? "I'm confident that I wouldn't have caused all the dust to go kaboom!" Blake couldn't help but shutter. Also, did Nora say she wouldn't cause _all_ of the dust to explode? Even if Nora was sure that her explosion wouldn't have reached _any_ of the containers, the off chance of causing a chain reaction would stop any sane person from risking it.

 _Then again, can Nora be considered rational?_

"I for one would have LOVED to see Magnhild in action!" Ruby cheered, becoming giddy as she no doubt was imagining the grenade launcher in great detail.

Ruby and Nora, a combination made in hell. Thank god that they weren't on the same team as her. Blake had a difficult time with the sister duo, but replace Yang with the ginger and what little peace she would have would burst asunder.

"Seriously, you meant the last word, right?" Speaking of the little peace she had left shattering. Sun, who never got a response to his question, inched closer to her. Hopefully, it wasn't to start flirting. Given tonight's events, the last thing she needed was someone trying to _get it on_ with her. "Despite being crazy, your friends seem cool. Why would you want to run away from people like them?"

Does he not realize how close they were to dying?

Her head shook, "Shouldn't you be fleeing the scene of the crime?"

"Why would I do that?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"Does being a stowaway ring any bells to you?"

Her fellow faunus laughed, thinking that it was just a joke.

It was not.

"I think me helping catch a criminal makes up for that." She supposed that made sense. Besides, the police in Vale were... incompetent, and that was her being nice. Chances are if the same two officers from the docks were here they wouldn't even recognize Sun. Went to show how abysmal the law enforcement was in Vale.

"If you say so," she would leave it like that. If Sun didn't want to leave, then she wouldn't force him to go away.

They were quiet afterward. On a typical day, Blake would have loved the silence, and let it continue until Sun did decide to leave. Even if he were infatuated with her, the chances of Sun being patient enough for her to talk first would be the day that she lives with a dog. But the silence between them did not bring her any comfort. It was apparent even to her that there was something she needed to say.

She let out a sigh when she figured out what that was. Looks like living with a dog might just be around the corner for her.

"Thank you, Sun." he shot a hopeful glance towards her. "If it wasn't for you, Jaune and I might have died. You helped us when you didn't have to. So thank you. You're a good friend." she had to make sure her intentions were clear. She was thankful for him, but the last thing she needed was to be in a relationship. But a friendship with her fellow faunus was something she would not mind having.

Becoming friends with Sun didn't sound too bad actually. One thing was clear, however. He would be the last blond she would associate with in this life.

Blake was either expecting his mood to deflate at mentioning him as a friend, or for him to grin like the schoolboy who has a crush that he was. Either way, Blake didn't want to have to deal with it, but she would. He helped her so she could indulge him with light conversation. It would mostly be one-sided, with Sun doing all the talking. Blake had a feeling that he wouldn't care.

"No problem, it's what friends are for." Blake was pleasantly surprised about the small, understanding smile he offered. He didn't wink or add some words he thought were smooth to try and charm her. Nor did he try to start a conversation that she didn't have the heart or the energy to have. There was only silence again, but this time, Blake knew that she and Sun both found it comforting.

It felt good to agree on something.

"I hope Jaune is okay."

That peaceful silence that she loved so much left her faster than it had begun.

Taking off that ridiculous hat Nora's eyes drifted to the medical van nearby, her expression becoming despondent, something that many thought would be foreign to the girl. Blake looked over as well and saw Pyrrha talk with a rather tall man wearing a thin white jacket. Blake guessed that he was the on-site medic, informing the redhead of her partner's health.

The Mistral champion was silent the entire time as he spoke. She nodded her head now and then, with her eyes focused on her sleeping partner. Whatever Jaune's condition was, Blake hoped that it was not as bad or worse than what she had initially thought it was.

With a sigh, the medical expert dismissed himself. It seemed that was the cue for Nora and Ren to join their teammate with Sun trailing behind them. She went to follow, she too wishing to know if Jaune would be okay.

She stopped at the first step.

What right did she have to be anywhere near Jaune and his team? It was because of her that he got injured in the first place.

What was once a moment of hesitation turned to minutes of contemplating. To others around Blake, it looked like she was staring off into space, daydreaming about whatever it was teenage girls imagined. Attractive men without their shirts on perhaps? The assumption would be partially correct, she supposed. Jaune wasn't ugly, in fact, she would admit that he had a boyish charm.

She was also imagining Jaune shirtless, but not for reasons that lovestruck girls would have. Abs were not the forefront of her thoughts.

Blake could still picture the blackened skin and the awful stench of her protector's flesh.

"Are you going to ask Pyrrha how Jaune is?"

Ruby stood beside her with a smile. Which was rather odd, seeing as her supposed first friend was injured. Maybe she hadn't yet realized the reality of it. That Jaune's life could be in danger.

No, Ruby may be young and idealistic, but she wasn't completely clueless about the world. People got hurt all the time, even those in their line of work. _Especially_ people in their line of work. Hunters aren't invincible despite the boasting of the councils, despite being called the _defenders of the world._ Hunters are people too, and behind aura and years of training, they bled and died like any other ordinary individual.

That was what Torchwick must have been trying to tell them. It must have been an attempt to discourage their goals of becoming hunters. It would mean less potential threats to him.

"Aren't you worried about him?" the young girl probed further. Ruby must have assumed that Blake wasn't listening given the lack of a response.

Blake _is_ worried. The question of whether Jaune was okay or not had weighed heavily on her mind since he got injured. It seemed silly to dread over the question when she could just ask Pyrrha. If she was too nervous to approach her, then she could ask the medic from earlier. The latter seemed like the more favorable approach, but whatever she chose to do it still led to her fear.

Blake was afraid to confront her mistake, to be told of the consequences of her actions. She knew that the truth would hurt. Jaune may not be someone Blake felt particularly close to, and he may not even be a friend, but she was the reason for all this pain and worrying. Despite capturing Torchwick, she didn't feel like she had won.

What was she supposed to do? The question ate away at her like a starving Beowolf. Blake was beginning to debate if she should ask her young friend for advice on what to do.

"What about you?" she asked instead. Blake respected her leader, but the thought of Ruby giving her good counsel seemed farfetched. "You don't look too worried about him. Do you think he's not in any grave danger?" it was a weak attempt to point the conversation towards Ruby, but it was worth a try.

Ruby appeared to contemplate the question, silver eyes looking up at the sky for possibly some inspiration to help her answer. It seemed some deity had provided the answer, as the younger girl met her gaze.

"Nope,"

Wait, what?

"I'm sorry, but could you elaborate." she was hoping for more than just a single word answer. After all, this was a person's well-being they were discussing now.

"Sorry," the scythe wielder covered her mouth to repress a giggle. "You know how bad I am at talking to people," she said as a matter of fact. If it weren't for Blake, then Ruby would be the most socially inept of the team. "Well, I guess you are too so we have that in common."

Compared to the beating she got from Torchwick, Ruby's words did nothing to her self-esteem. When a man who wears more makeup than Blake outclasses her, there wasn't much else that could top that.

"I know that Jaune is hurt, and I _am_ aware that he's in a lot of pain." she began to smile despite her words. "But he's my friend, and I should believe that he'll be okay no matter what." Ruby finished with eyes that reflected her faith for the blond's recovery. She sounded so confident when she spoke that Blake found herself wanting to agree inattentively.

But the more rational side of her knew that what her leader had was blind faith.

 _Ruby always was the optimistic one on the team._ Blake thought with a frown.

Ruby wasn't there when it happened she didn't see the damage that Jaune suffered through when he fought Torchwick. If she were just to see the horrid injury that bigot gave him, she would worry too. Ruby's blind hope would become a distant feeling.

"I know that he's going to okay in the end. He wants to be a hero like us, and I know he's going to be one." she walked forward, to finally join JNPR to find out about the team's leader, right before turning to offer a smile. "And heroes always stand right back up!"

Blake could feel the muscles of her face make a smile.

Having Ruby Rose as a teammate was worrying in the beginning. Blake even thought that she would come to hate the girl, just as Weiss had when the team had first formed. She was always so optimistic and happy. She could always see the lighter side of things, and her cheerfulness was infectious, able to bring a smile to anyone's face. Despite wanting to become a hero of all things, a dream that belonged to most children, Blake found herself respecting her leader's goal.

Though innocent and somewhat childish, what mattered was that Ruby was a kind and gentle person. She was a capable huntress in training despite how young she was. She was a good leader. One that Blake could follow in any situation. And Ruby never tried shoving her idealistic views onto their disjointed team. A team that Blake wasn't sure she would fit in with at first. It was one thing to be on a team with the heiress to a company that brought so much suffering to the faunus, but to have a girl like Ruby be her leader should have added to her stress. Then there was her partner Yang the polar opposite to Blake in every way. Adventurous, bright, trustworthy all things that she was not.

An annoying heiress, an idealistic child, and a boisterous party girl. Each member was so different compared to one another that it didn't seem possible for them to find common ground. In almost every case scenario, a team like RWBY should have fallen upon itself in the very beginning.

Blake was happy to be proven wrong. Through the months that sped by so quickly, Team RWBY became a family to her. The more irrational part of her mind dared to hope that they would stay together for years to come. For the first time since the early days of the White Fang, Blake had a family.

But she ruined that herself.

"It's one thing to run away from us, but I'm actually more angry that you got that blond buffoon involved."

The familiar voice and the sound of heels clicking reached her ears, causing her faunus features to flick back nervously as they approached. She didn't want to face _her_ yet. Blake was too terrified of the ridicule she would inevitably face from the person who had every right to hate her.

She deserved the contempt, though.

"Oomph!" Something blonde and heavy collided with her, dragging her up in the air as if she were a small child that was found by her mother.

Yang Xiao Long then began to suffocate her with what should have been a simple hug. Instead, Blake's face met her partner's bosom, the cause of her current lack of oxygen. At this moment Blake desperately wished she could be anywhere else. She would gladly be in the same room as a dog than be trapped in the blonde's hold.

Is this how Ruby feels on a daily basis?

"We're so happy to see you!" Yang cowed happily while unknowingly continuing to kill her friend. She even began to quicken the process by drawing her runaway partner even closer to her chest. Slowly, painfully, and surely, Blake was losing consciousness.

Is this how it ends? Killed by her partner's breasts after surviving a battle against her former comrades and a dangerous criminal.

Not like this...

Blake thanked every god above if there was one when Yang released her. She was grateful for the euphoric oxygen that entered her lungs when she breathed in. She wouldn't allow her partner to do that again; that was a near death experience that she wished to stay away from entirely.

Despite her plea, the faunus couldn't stop the second hug that Yang caught her in. It was as quick and unexpected as the first one, and Blake prepared herself for the inevitable pain her body would experience.

The pain never came.

It was funny, Blake thought. Yang could act like a mom at times in different ways. The first hug was like a mother trying to embarrass their child in front of a crowd of people. It was too smothering and near impossible for her to escape. No doubt, Ruby had experienced that many a time.

This instant, Yang's hold was far more gentle, treating Blake like a delicate child who had been away for too long. Despite everything that happened Yang made sure that Blake could feel safe in her arms. It was easy to forget how helpless and hurt she was when in her partner's embrace.

Blake found that as easily as she could break free, she discovered that she did not want to. So is this what Ruby gets to experience? Honestly, the faunus would take all the bad that came with Yang if she could feel like this more often.

Blake's own personal sun.

"I'm okay," a two-word answer, to an unspoken question.

"We were worried about you," Yang cooed, tightening the hold just barely. Was she concerned that her friend would run away and get herself hurt again?

Her partner could be a fool sometimes. Then again, Blake supposed that she was a fool too.

"I'm sorry," was all Blake could reply with as she wrapped her arms around her friend, reassuring her that she wouldn't run. If running away could bring one of the strongest people she knew such pain, then she would never run away from them again.

The image of that devastating burn tormented her mind once again.

No, if allowing people in could bring such pain, then perhaps it was better to avoid others. She needed to do things on her own. That way if she does get into trouble then she'll be the only one hurt. Blake refused to allow anyone from her team to get hurt on her behalf.

Was that the right thing to do? Two sides that both had awful consequences.

"Blake..." her white-haired teammate said softly. Bright golden eyes met ice-blue as she looked upon the girl she should have hated. The girl Blake had _once_ hated. Heiress to the company she came to despise for years, was now someone she couldn't even bear to think ill will towards.

Weiss didn't do anything to deserve her animosity. There was never any merit to such hatred from Blake or from anyone for that matter. Through all the fighting and hatred she was merely caught in the middle. Blake was wrong about her.

Weiss was a victim.

"Weiss, I know you have every right to hate me, and I know you don't tru-"

"I don't want to hear it!" she snapped, silencing the taller girl as she stepped forward. Blake flinched as the pale girl narrowed her eyes."Are you still with the White Fang?"

"No, I left them before I came to Beacon."

"Then this matter is resolved," she said as if she were concluding a board meeting. "If you are no longer associated with them, I see no reason for you to avoid us." Weiss didn't even blink when she spoke.

Just like that?

"Bu-"

"I don't want to hear it! The only thing I do want to hear is that the next time something this important comes up..." she paused, her features soften, showing just how concerned she felt since Blake left. "you'll come to us next time, okay? Instead of running away, and getting that blond dolt..." she straightened her body as she sighed. "instead of Arc, you should have trusted us, Blake."

Jaune could be trusted. Blake may have gotten him hurt, but what if he wasn't there? Sure, he may not be as skilled as she or others in their year, but he fought too. While she and Sun were incapacitated, Jaune was there fighting Torchwick with every ounce of his strength.

He even protected her from a blast that would have broken through what little aura she had left. That sickening wound he received would have been what her entire body looked like if not for him. "I would have died if not for Jaune..."

She didn't realize she had said it aloud until she noticed Weiss and Yang's shocked expressions. But her boisterous partner began to smile, throwing an arm around her neck. "I didn't know Vomit Boy had it in him! Well, if you ever want to marry him you've got my consent."

Blake could only muster up a weak glare that only made the girl laugh.

"We should check on him," Weiss walked past them, not wasting time. It was the first time that Blake could think of that the ice queen was worried about the boy who would always flirt with her. Yang giggled as she removed herself from Blake to follow.

Blake was left alone once again with her thoughts. She let out a sigh. There was still some hesitation, something that she couldn't get rid of no matter how much she wanted to. Her frie-

How cruel could she be? Even after he risked his life for her, she couldn't see him as a friend yet. He helped her, yes, but that was most likely due to some hero complex that he shared with Ruby. If she was Pyrrha, Ren, Yang, Weiss, or even Cardin! Jaune would have helped almost anybody.

So did that make them friends?

 _"Even if I can't fight – even if I'm weak. I refuse to step back and watch a friend get hurt."_

They were both fools it would seem. The thought made Blake smile. Jaune Arc _is_ her friend. She told the blond her past, and he still wanted to help her. Whether it was because of some hero complex that he had mattered little. In fact, she didn't care at all.

What mattered was that she needed to see if her friend was okay.

* * *

 **This story is being canceled so you can all leave now...**

 **I'm not joking...**

 **...**

 **Why are you still here?**

 **Where did you get that gun?**

 **OH GOD DON'T SH-**

 **MY KNEEEEEEE CAP! OH GOD THE PAIN!**

 **What do you want from me damn it?!**

 **More of this story? BUT WHY?!**

 **Okay, okay just don't shoot my other knee cap!**

 **YOU WANT A NEW CHAPTER NOW! There's just now way!**

 **Don't shoot, I have an omake! Here, just take it you, psychopath!**

* * *

 **Short Omake...**

 **Why Children Need to be Murdered.**

"I WILL NEVER HAVE CHILDREN!" Torchwick had yelled as he began stomping on the pavement. "You God awful brats are like cockroaches! You just don't die, and somehow, even more, show up!" the smooth criminal started shouting profanities that caused Blake's feline appendages to flatten. As a faunus, she was used to racial slurs as well as other hurtful words, but this was taking it to an entirely new level. How could someone be _that_ vulgar?

"-stinks more than a warthog faunus who just refuses to wipe his ass!"

At least that wasn't bad as the one about the pussy cat.

"-hornier than a mutt faunus during heat who wants to have sensual intercourse with a pussy cat!"

Now he's talking about cats again.

"-I'd rather let a mosquito suck me dry than be here!"

Was he _still_ going?

"- in fact, you all suck more than mosquitoes! At least with those disgusting creatures, they stop sucking you once you slap them!"

She didn't think it was possible to hate him more than she does now.

"ENOUGH!" shouted the Valkyrie.

Blake didn't know about everyone else, but when she saw pink lightning that seemed to hug Nora's body her face paled. The human Tesla coil had a broad smile as the lightning she commanded took on her personality, becoming wilder in nature. The lights that illuminated the docks began flickering on and off rapidly until the lamps gave out.

The only source of lighting was the electricity, but even the pink light source began to fade as Nora seemingly absorbed it.

"Nora, it's too dangerous to do that here!"

Blake's stomach dropped when she heard Ren of all people shout.

"I can't Ren! Not even a fellow ginger can have the last explosion!" the personification of insanity replied as she aimed her destructive weapon.

She meant the last _word_ , right?

Eyes of gold gleaned something new. Something that was so terrifying that Blake didn't want to be alive at that moment. The front of the launcher retracted exposing six heart-shaped tips of her destructive grenades. "For my awesome leader! And for my LOVE LIFE!"

No, surely not.

Nora pulled the trigger to unleash hell on Remnant. Simultaneously all six of Nora's pink dust grenades shoot forth, each one traveling through the sky with pink dust trailing behind them, looping around each other like an intricate dance. Until the six canisters joined to create what Blake believed to be the ginger's favorite shape, a giant pink heart.

Blake had a feeling that it was Nora's way of letting people feel her love.

But with Torchwick so close to shipments of Dust, the explosion would-

"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL US ALL!?" he exclaimed.

"The answer to his question was the rainbow colored explosion that killed everyone that night," Ozpin said as he closed the book, a smile upon his features.

All while Glynda began to tie a noose with her semblance as she muttered to herself about ending it all here. She did not even care about traumatizing the children that watched her.

Ozpin already succeeded in that endeavor it would seem, given the pale faces of the group of kids who could barely talk.

The class of preschoolers all looked at him incredulously. The teacher who was standing above the children looked as if she would die from a heart attack.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?"

Ozpin quietly enjoyed another sip of his coffee while Glynda tied the knot around her neck.

* * *

 **And people thought RWBY Volume 3 was dark.**


	3. A Headmaster's Visit

**AN: I promised that the delay wouldn't be too long...**

 **Yeah, the wait was still long, but at least I updated before the month ended! That has to count for something, right? Right?!**

 **Anyway, I'd like to thank everyone for following and favoriting, as well as anyone who even took the time to read the story. A special thanks to any person who reviewed the previous chapter.**

 **Dread Knight N7: Glad you liked the omake! I'm glad to know you like this so far, and I can't wait for you to read this chapter. There isn't much in the way of action, but I think this is the best of the three chapters I have now.**

 **theycallmebeanz: I'm back, in Jaune(ish) black... god that was awful. I am so sorry for that. As for why Neo didn't show up, I will get to that next chapter. Sorry, but you need to be patient with me.**

 **IndecentNoise609: I will never leave you.**

 **Blacklight181: Too dark? Or is it just too plain silly? Either way, I will never change!**

 **dragoon109: I concede, I should have displayed Jaune's physical strength being greater than Roman's. In fact, I will probably update the first chapter to incorporate that. Although, I think you missed the point of what I was trying to with Roman when he was talking about the job of a hunter. I will be going more in depth later in the story because there is a reason why I had Roman go off on that seemingly spontaneous speech. If you still want to read this, TRUST me when I say that I know what I am doing... somewhat.**

 **Ari-Dexel13: PLEASE DON'T SHOOT! I GAVE YOU ANOTHER CHAPTER!**

 **Ever Professional: Ah yes, blondes can be quite troublesome. Especially the ones in RWBY.**

 **Guest: Don't know who you are, but thanks!**

 **xanothos: We can both be crazy... forever.**

 **No beta reader this time. My friend Lelouch is very sick at the moment, so he needs his rest. But I am confident that there isn't anything dreadfully bad in this chapter. If there is, feel free to write a review and inform me of any mistakes.**

* * *

From Roman Torchwick's point of view, tonight was a success! Sure, he may not have gotten any dust, and those animals were probably locked up like him — not that losing a couple of freaks was such a bad thing; but in the end, he did succeed in one thing.

That would be his arrest, as getting captured _was_ part of the plan. Sure, it happened sooner than expected, but usually one would appreciate the gesture of being early. So he did Cinder a service by getting caught.

That was what Roman told himself, and it was what he would say to Cinder when they meet again.

He was glad that no one was with him to hear the growl he let out. What was the point of convincing himself otherwise? The fact is, tonight was an utter failure. Those brats ruined everything! The annoying stray cat and little Red were nuisances to be sure, and he was beginning to contemplate killing them. But by far, the worst of the bunch was that blond trying to play the hero. It was not that he posed a threat, in fact, he held almost no real skill. What irked Roman was that damn hero complex the kid had. God, just thinking about that stupid grin of his made the renowned criminal livid!

Now here he was, stuck in this interrogation room, with no means of getting out. The only source of illumination for him was the single light on the ceiling that only lit the center of the room. What was beyond his circle of light was only a minor annoyance to his eyes, as while the darkness around him made things partially unclear, he could still see the door and the gray walls that boxed him inside.

The thief knew that his little assistant would not save him. It was not betrayal, oh no far from that. Neo will always be on his side; that was something he would never doubt. The reason he was not going to be leaving at this moment was his employer. Right now, they were in the early stages of Cinder's _master_ plan. A plan which he did not know the entirety of, but even with his limited knowledge Roman knew how important Neo was going to be.

While his role was vital, it went without question that Neo was essential for the end game, as her semblance was not only dangerous.

It was the most unpredictable.

From all the fights he has seen his personal murderer in one thing was clear. With the element of surprise, Neo would never lose no matter who the opponent may be. Roman knew firsthand how dangerous she could be in a fight. He taught her, after all. Shattering glass would leave her victims stunned for a moment, and a mere moment was all she needed to punish them.

So it was important that Neo were to be kept secret until she was absolutely needed. In Roman's eyes, him getting captured _would_ have been such an emergency.

Here he was, though, sitting in a darkly lit interrogation room, waiting for the next pair of cops to try their hand at getting information out of him. It sadly meant that Cinder did not think his capture warranted his little friend's involvement. It was annoying, but Roman would have to be patient. He would be set free; of that, he did not doubt.

It was _way_ too soon for him to be out of the game. Whether Cinder liked it or not, she needed him to steal more dust. Right now, the amount they have was not sufficient enough and as dangerous as she is, theft was something Roman excelled at. He had spent years surviving, and profiting through his way of life. So it was not a matter of _if_ she would break him out, but _when_.

Already he was dreading the moment of his escape. Cinder would either berate him for his failures or have that infuriating smile of hers while giving him his next set of orders. Even worse, she would probably spout some cryptic nonsense that Roman would fail to understand. One way or another, that woman would no doubt design what his purpose would be for the future.

She would also leave him in the dark as always.

That was how things went with her, and though Roman may have hated being ignorant of his role, and hated Cinder even more so, he would begrudgingly obey. Usually, even when the odds are against him, he would always take a gamble and fight. He would not be where he is today if he didn't have the backbone to take risks, and the intelligence to know when to take those risks.

Life is like one big game of poker. The only way to win money in the game of cards is to bet your funds and to be smart about it. Roman bet his survival in the early days, back when he was a small-time crook living in Vacuo— a street rat who was surrounded by lions. As time went on he earned money and status, and death came close for him many times. But because of his gambles he not only continued to survive, he truly _lived_. He had the skills to fight off huntsmen, and the cunning to outsmart anybody stupid enough to get in his way. Roman was someone feared by his enemies and respected by his allies.

But to even consider fighting Cinder was like trying to win the pot with a pair of deuces. Roman may be a gambling man, but he knew that siding against Cinder was a fool's bet. There was no amount of planning that he or anyone for that matter could do to stop her. Like it or not, the world was going to change after her plan comes to fruition.

There wasn't any doubt in his mind that people were going to die, and that he would play an intricate part to their deaths. And yet, even with that knowledge, he would play the role of a subordinate. Whether people died should matter little to him, because, in the end, he will be on the winning side. More importantly, he will survive.

That was all that mattered to him.

 _"What's your name, kid?" he asked the small girl who sat on his couch, a bowl of Neapolitan ice cream on her lap._

 _The girl never replied, and instead went on eating her ice cream as if he never existed. When he asked for her name a second time, she shrugged her shoulders, and then went back to eating the creamy desert._

 _What an annoying brat. The kid doesn't even know her name._

Roman sighed, rubbing his temple as a migraine began to settle. Neo too, only so that he had someone to watch his back. Despite the extra baggage, his little assistant was a valuable asset, and losing her would cripple him. The two of them had been through a lot together — so long, in fact, that once upon a time, he was the one who got Neo out of trouble.

He remembered the cold day he first saw her. It was only a couple of days after his first successful robbery in Vale, and he was walking in a foot of snow going home. There was so much snow at the time that it was hard to see Neo's tiny frame when she slept in that dark alley.

His hand clenched into a fist. Roman found that it was easy to recount the days of living like a street rat. Always alone, without a potential friend in sight. Powerless against the ruthless thugs who want everything that isn't theirs.

When his ears picked up the creaking of the door opening, Roman had to resist the temptation to roll his eyes. So, the _good_ cops of Vale wanted to interrogate him again? Well, even if they were decent at their job, which they were not; Roman would dodge their questions. He would poke fun at their stupidity, at their incompetence as officers of the law.

Roman knew he could outwit the law enforcement he had done it countless times, and he will continue to do it. So, he turned his head to the door, his visible eye taking in the details of his visitor.

When Roman looked at the man's face, he immediately knew who _he_ was. Behind his circular glasses were brown eyes filled with cunning and mystery that rivaled Cinder. With a cane that was different than Roman's, he walked in with a coffee mug in his other hand.

Roman was expecting the good cop bad cop routine from buffoons, not the headmaster of Beacon Academy.

 _I will gladly take the idiots back_ his thoughts groaned, remembering how much fun it was to watch the inept hacks on the police force to try and interrogate him. It was like watching an awful comedy, but better because it was a personal show for him.

The principal of Beacon sat down to be at eye-level with the notorious thief. The light made the esteemed headmaster more visible, but for some reason, he became more of a mystery. Try as he might; Roman could not tell what the man was thinking, nor could he discern any of his emotions. Ozpin seemed more like a machine than a man and already, Roman was debating if he should switch sides now, only so he did not have to deal with the famous headmaster.

"Roman Torchwick," he started, his expression not giving away his feelings. That was going to get real annoying, wasn't it? "your transgressions are rather extensive." he continued. "Theft, fraud, smuggling, and now attempted murder. On my students, no less."

"Not proud of smacking your kids around, honest." getting blood on his suit always became a problem when he had to get his hands dirty. These days, he had Neo handle the brutality. But he never killed unless necessary, and if possible it was to be done discreetly. He tried to instill that rule onto Neo. If they had to end a life, then they would make sure there was _no_ evidence. Thankfully, his midget partner followed that rule, despite her bloodlust.

If the esteemed headmaster of Beacon didn't know about the lives, he and Neo took, then nobody did. So, his mandatory rule did pay off.

Though, given the events that transpired tonight it was for naught. Roman came close to killing students from Beacon, out and the open for that matter. He had planned to kill the two faunus who intervened. The plan was for him to cover it up later if he had the time.

Then a guy playing the hero got involved, wasting more of his time.

"-and as the reports say, you are talkative."

"I consider my voice a gift to Remnant, Ozpin," he said, hoping for a sign of irritation from the man.

Roman met disappointment, as the headmaster sipped something from his white porcelain, which displayed the dark green emblem of their kingdom of two axes crossed against each other. From the warm air that tickled his nose, Roman knew that it was coffee. Damn good coffee at that.

"So, you know who I am," Ozpin stated, not at all surprised. And why would he be? The man was famous, even more so than the popular James Ironwood of Atlas.

"If I were dumb enough not to know who you were, I wouldn't be where I am today." if his network was so bad that Ozpin of all people was a mystery to him, then Roman deserved to have died a long time ago. Just turn on the news and a story about Beacon would eventually pop up. And when there was talk about the prestigious school, Ozpin was a part of the gossip.

"In jail?" Ozpin countered.

"Alive," he replied with a smile. They were playing a little game; a game of whose composure would break first. Roman did not doubt how difficult it would be to win such a game against Ozpin, but he was determined.

The winning side was something Roman knew intimately.

"Alive, but worse for wear." he countered. Roman's eyes narrowed when his visitor's hand grabbed something from his jacket pocket. They were soon wide like saucers when Ozpin took out a familiar brown cigar.

It was not just any cigar, but the only brand Roman would ever allow to touch his lips. Top quality and worth more than a hundred of those animals in the White Fang. Most people would consider it ridiculous to smoke such expensive tobacco, but Roman only settled for the best of quality.

The cigar in Ozpin's hand was not where it was meant to be. It belonged to _him_.

"Here,"

The cigar was resting on the table, free for Roman to take. He wanted to, oh how he wanted to. The temptation to smoke it annoyed him more than a starving Neo. Constant kicking to his head that gave him the worst migraine in the world.

"I don't believe smoking is allowed indoors," he would deny the temptation. To fold so quickly and accept a gift was the same as surrendering. He refused to surrender.

Ozpin did not seem to care, as he takes a sip from his mug. For once, could the man show _some_ emotion?

"I am sure you know the reason behind this visit." he started, setting his cup down to sit next to the cigar that was worth more than the table holding it up.

"Cannot say I do, but let me tell you how honored I am that such a famous figure would visit little ole' me." he did his best not to show how aggravated he was. Roman could not believe that Ozpin would risk getting his cigar wet! Who knew that the headmaster at Beacon was a mad man?

It was common knowledge that ruining a man's cigar was like killing a mother's child. It was just unacceptable!

"So, what is the reason behind your surprise visit? I am dying to find out."

"Your crimes as of late, have been more frequent than usual, and what's more your primary target has been dust." For the first time, Ozpin did not take the time to drink his coffee. So, Roman was getting somewhere. "Many would believe that you are trying to raise the value of dust so that you can sell it for a lower cost. Mainly to the White Fang, since you started working with their organization." Light brown eyes narrow. "I, however, do not think that is the case."

If Ozpin were not sitting in front of him, then he would have smiled. While making a profit through dust sounded promising at first glance, Roman would never chance it. To try and raise the value of dust would be profitable for a time, but it would backfire eventually. Quite horribly he might add.

Take a step back, and one could easily see how fragile an economy Remnant has. Every day, more and more dust is found and harnessed; and because of that many people have the ridiculous mentality that the energy propellant they use is infinite in resources.

When in fact, it is as finite as one's life.

Stealing dust in such large quantities not only made him the biggest target on Remnant. But the sharp increase in dust prices would hurt him too if his goal was to gain a profit. See, weapons that he would need for other jobs would jump in cost because the ammunition that those weapons use have grown in price. Trying to steal weapons themselves would only make things worse, as not only has the price of dust rose, but weapons would get even more costly, and become harder to steal.

It is the same concept for other businesses. Establishments like local restaurants for the middle class or even grocery stores that sell produce would have to increase their prices because it has become much more expensive to power their store with dust.

Worst of all, the cost of Neapolitan ice cream would increase. Roman would go bankrupt trying to appease Neo's high sugar cravings.

In essence, if the price of dust rises so does the price of everything else. That hurts everyone, including Roman. And losing isn't something he ventures in, anymore.

"Well, you'd be wrong," he denied. Roman needed to withhold the truth from Ozpin, no matter what. "Me working with those animals is bothersome, but I gain so much."

"You are supplying the White Fang, that much is certain." the green-clad hunter said with a lopsided grin. From the weird kitty cat that wanted to kill him, to the piercing green light that cut through aircraft like butter. Ozpin smiling took the gold medal of what terrified Roman in the past twenty-four hours.

Why was he smiling? It should be obvious that Roman was working with those animals. The cops in Vale know that, which means _everyone_ knows that.

"I know for a fact that you are not a supporter of the White Fang's cause. In the past you have made it quite apparent that you despise the faunus." the interrogator's hands intertwined as he continued. "There is a reason why you work with them, one that does not stem from wanting to profit."

"I can forget about working with faunus, just as long as I don't lose."

"I am sure you can, but I do not believe the White Fang would share your mentality of settling differences. That is, not without influence from a third party." The way this conversation was going, Roman knew that he would need to fold. If they kept going, then Ozpin would glean information out of him. He would rather not die by fire. "I know there is someone else involved, someone who is orchestrating you and the White Fang behind the scenes." he continued.

"Can't say I know what you're talking about, I'm the one who's in charge," he said with a smile. It was a weak attempt to throw him off, but Roman had to do something.

"Whoever this person may be, no matter how powerful they may seem to be. If you tell me who they are, I can stop them," Ozpin said, completely ignoring Roman's claim. "I will even ask the council to pardon most of your crimes so that your sentence will not ruin your life." what a promising offer, and in most cases, Roman would have accepted immediately. Ozpin is the headmaster of Beacon, so if anyone could convince the council to get a reduced sentence for the thief, it was him.

There was an offer on the table, and it was up to him to take the deal.

"Who is this queen that you work for, and what are her plans?" Ozpin asked.

When Roman was younger, he once aspired of becoming someone like the man sitting in front of him. Someone respected for their strength and influence.

Reality taught him quickly that what he wanted was a dream for the suicidal. The only way to survive was not to worry about the strangers around him. Roman could only rely on himself, so he had to take care of himself. He couldn't stay the weak and naive kid he used to be, who people could easily manipulate — who knew what betrayal felt like. Yes, Roman knew what it was like to be stabbed in the back, metaphorically and literally. People he thought were his allies had only used him for their personal ends, and as soon as those goals were met, he was thrown aside like trash. Alone, bleeding and left for dead to be long forgotten.

He never wanted to feel that helpless again. To be so pathetic and stupid! So, after years of fighting and hurting, he got what he wanted long ago. Roman became something bigger. It just wasn't in the way he had first envisioned.

What he became was better than what he wanted as a kid. Roman had wealth and power that most men could only dream of having.

"Who are you working for?" he asked again.

Roman was under no delusion that Cinder could kill him effortlessly. Hell, perhaps after his role ends, she would betray him like those in his past did. Every time he saw her or even heard her, his instincts to prepare for a fight would always surface, warning him that his life could end. Even as an ally, Roman knew that he was not safe from her.

"How can I reveal someone who doesn't exist?" he replied, earning a frown from the headmaster.

Working with Cinder was dangerous, but his chances of survival were better as an ally, rather than being her enemy.

With a sigh, Ozpin stood from his seat, all while the locked-up thief continued to smile. Despite the smug expression, the older man didn't seem angered by it in the slightest. In fact, he seemed more disappointed than anything. Regardless, it was a victory for Roman, but instead of that uplifting feeling of satisfaction he usually basked in, he felt hollow. He knew why, and it made him second guess his decision. He won not for himself, but for Cinder.

"It is unfortunate, but I suppose whoever is influencing you has seeped their claws inside your heart." the huntsman opened the wooden door; he turned before exiting. Despite being hidden in the dark, Roman can still see those coffee colored eyes.

Ozpin was staring at him in pity.

"I do not know when the people of our world failed you, but I am sorry." his voice was quiet as he spoke — sounded apologetic even. "To many, you owe a great deal to the world for all the crimes you have committed. But I blame the flawed system we have now, for allowing people who live in poverty to suffer the way you did." His hand reaches the pocket of his jacket. "Perhaps, if we had taken the time to help all walks of life, then maybe you and so many others who were molded as monsters could have lived a humble life."

Monsters? His eyes widen.

"Shouldn't you be saying that to the animals?" he needed to remain calm. It was just a coincidence is all nothing more.

Roman refused to believe that Ozpin knew of his other crimes. He and Neo buried their past alongside the bodies a long time ago. If Neo was a secret, then he did not care if his bloodied hands were known. It was all for Cinder's plans of course! Neo was his partner, but she wasn't anything more than just that.

The two men could hear the scrunch of Roman's gloves when his hands tensed into fists.

"While this also regards the White Fang, at this moment I am speaking only to you," Ozpin said, not seeming to care for the criminal's clear distaste for the other race. "While the faunus have suffered a great deal, others forget that people like you have experienced a considerable amount of hardship as well." His hand finally left his pocket, in his grasp was a red and black lighter.

It was Roman's.

"The world may have failed you, and what I am about to ask will seem impossible. But when the time comes do not fail the world like it did you." he was right, that is an impossible request. Ozpin didn't appear daunted by the glare he was getting as he continued without skipping a beat. "We are truly alive when we take care of each other; that is how we have prospered against hardship for so many years. And while the soul may be unique for each person, there is one similarity we all have." Roman was surprised when the lighter found its way in his hand when Ozpin tossed it. "That is to help others, even when it is hard to do so."

Then Ozpin left, and Roman allowed the air his lungs trapped freedom. And he thought that the kids from Beacon were weird.

If by some off chance, that Cinder was detained because of him. There was not a shadow of a doubt that the madwoman would find some way to end his life. She would arrange some way of killing him, whether that was getting burned alive or having an arrow pierce his heart. In the end, she would find a way... she always does.

Neo would also be in danger. After all the times she's helped him, the least he could do was return the favor by ensuring her survival.

Taking Ozpin's side held too much risk, and while he may despise Cinder Fall, taking the winning side takes precedence. Roman will see the end game, and he will be alive to see the outcome of her plan. See, the thing is... she's already won. Everybody in Remnant just doesn't realize it yet.

Roman mentally thanked Ozpin as the familiar shape of the cigar fit his hand. His lips take hold of it, lighting it and taking a long drag. The fumes as always were warm and helped calm his nerves. He felt like he was floating as if everything that led to tonight never happened. There was no Little Red, no annoying blond with a hero complex, and certainly no Cinder in his life.

Another deep breath. His lungs felt tight, but ironically they felt alive, more so than when they would be otherwise. It may seem small, but the little pleasure he got from smoking this was a reminder to him of his accomplishments. Roman had lost a lot, but he gained much more.

His life used to be perfect.

Then Cinder came along and shattered his reality, dragging him into a war that he would rather avoid. Showing him powers that should have only existed in fairy tales. Roman was already a part of her scheme, now, which meant he couldn't back out. Not unless he wanted to die.

They may be on the same side, but every time he had to face Cinder, Roman felt like the young street rat he used to be. Though he would never admit it, that terrified him.

He was genuinely afraid of Cinder Fall.

For the first time that he could remember, the cigar he was smoking meant nothing to him. Like his victory against Ozpin, the tobacco felt empty to him.

He felt nothing.

* * *

Waking up from his slumber was a painful affair, but one Jaune begrudgingly forced himself to do. It was the cadence beeping of a heart monitor that had woke him up, and the bed he lay comfortably on made him realize that it was not the bed in his room. His bed was not nearly as comfy, which was rather odd.

Jaune always liked sleeping in his dorm. Training with Pyrrha was hell for his body, and sleeping on his bed would always soothe his aching body.

The mattress he laid in now, though, it was overwhelming in how soft it was. Even now, as the invading light beckoned for Jaune to awaken, the bed seemingly wrapped its arms around him, imploring him to stay in the dreamland. The pillow his head rested on would whisper sweet words to invite his slumber to continue.

Oh, how he wanted to remain asleep, to accept the invitation of an undisturbed rest. To dream about taking Weiss on the perfect date. He could perfectly envision it now; he would confess his love after a walk through the park. She would smile bashfully at him as her cheeks flush, and give him the response that he wants so badly.

It wasn't until his memories began to return that he fully woke up with a pained gasp. The White Fang, Torchwick, his injury — his friends!

He reared up in the hospital bed, letting out a pained gasp because of the sudden pain on his back. Oh God, that hurt more than all the times Pyrrha knocked him on his ass combined! His injury was sensitive, even the soft fabric of the white gown he was wearing brought his injury more pain.

"At least you're alive." a woman's voice to his left. Even after the events he went through with her, that voice was one that he wasn't used to hearing. At least, usually not one directed to him.

"Blake? How long have I been asleep?"

"Only for a few hours." a short response that was typical of someone like Blake. She was like Ren in that way, he supposed. Honestly, with how little he knows either of them, they could be alternate versions of each other.

"What happened?" he needed to find out more. Was Torchwick captured? Are his teammates okay? Was Ruby okay? Was she okay? An explanation of what happened tonight would be great!

For the first time that Jaune could remember, Blake smiled.

That was the best answer she could have given him.

"So everyone's okay," she nods. "and you guys beat Torchwick?"

"We didn't fight him per say. After you had fallen unconscious, he surrendered after some... convincing."

"Convincing?"

"A girl named Penny ripped a Bullhead in two with a beam of light."

Oh... that kind of convincing.

"Who's Penny?"

"A strange girl from Atlas who can apparently use floating swords that shoot green light," she said with a smile, earning a laugh from Jaune. Well, from what little he knows of Blake her brief description was all she knew about the supposed strange girl. It was also rather surprising that Nora wasn't the one to do something outrageous. That girl always did have to have the last explosion.

Whoever this Penny was, Jaune owed her big time.

They were silent now; the last audible thing was the short laugh he let out earlier. Though that in of itself wasn't so bad as Jaune found the silence between them to be somewhat comforting. But he was rather confused about what was happening right now. Not about the silent treatment from Blake that was normal as they never did talk during the first semester, save for the last couple of days.

"Blake, where is everyone?" it was weird for it to be only the two of them. He would have expected Ruby or his team to be with him. Yang wasn't even here to be with her partner, so what was going on?

It would have been nice if Weiss was here to see how he was doing. Jaune is injured, so it was rather disheartening that only Blake was here.

"Don't look so down. I know you would rather be around anyone else at the moment, but-"

"Don't take it the wrong way!" he interrupted.

Sure, he may not know Blake very well, but that didn't mean her presence wasn't wanted. In fact, he was happy that she decided to take the time and watch over him. Though they weren't very close, to begin with, she is still a friend. Having someone take the time to sit with someone who was sleeping is one of the most boring things ever. Jaune knew that more than most. His youngest sister, Violet would always demand his presence when she was too scared to go to bed.

Dad and Mom would usually let Violet sleep in their room when she had nightmares. But for those nights when Dad was away on a mission or Mom was too tired to be woken up. Little Violet would go to her big brother for safety from the dark.

If his two older sisters were around, then maybe his role of "mean monster slayer" would have gone to them. The oldest, Rogue was working as some private investigator in Atlas. Jaune wasn't too close to her anymore as she was only around for birthdays. So obviously, a sister who was no longer part of their lives was a no go for nightmare banishing.

As for Autumn, she was in college studying to be a teacher. Sure, a quick video call might have been enough for Violet's troubled mind, but Jaune knew that his older sister needed as much rest as possible. Being in college was tough for her, and he didn't want to burden Autumn with family problems even if they were small.

So he was the oldest sibling in the house, which meant that it was his responsibility to fight off the monsters in his little sister's nightmares. Admittedly, it got annoying at times when he had to force himself out of bed to watch over her. Jaune had lost count of the cumulative hours of sleep he lost to be Violet's knight in shining armor. But hearing her quiet snores after an hour of sitting by her side always made him smile.

Thinking back, that was when the idea of being a huntsman became more than a dream. Jaune wanted to make that unattainable goal a reality so that he could help others like he did for his sister. Someone who others can look up towards, and admire. To be someone that others can rely on would give him the greatest pleasure.

"So what way am I supposed to take it?" Blake asked with an amused smile.

Two days of talking to her, and already he knew that smile would irk him.

"I'm just surprised that nobody else is here," he replied, earning a nod from Blake who offered a small smile. "I thought that Pyrrha for sure would be around." they were partners, after all. If Pyrrha were ever hurt, Jaune would stay by her side for weeks if he had to. After everything she did for him, it was the least he could do.

She was his best friend, and he'd always be by her side.

"So when only one of my friends is here with me, I can't help but be confused."

Blake let a sigh escape as she closed her book. It must be serious if she of all people put her book down to explain something. Every time he did see her at school, a book usually obscured her face. According to Yang, it was a novel called Ninja's of Love, some kind of romance novel if the title was any indication.

Maybe reading one of those books could give him ideas on how to get Weiss to start dating him.

"The reason why it's only the two of us is that Professor Ozpin wanted to speak with us." she crossed her arms. "He probably wants to know the details of what happened at the shipyard."

"You would be correct, Miss Belladonna."

Despite the pain on his back, Jaune made sure to sit up straight when their green-clad professor appeared. Blake did the same, but while he did it as a sign of respect for their headmaster, it seemed that she did so out of apprehension.

It was because she was a faunus. A faunus who was once a member of a terrorist group who fights for a good cause with awful methods.

That same terrorist group was the one they were fighting just hours ago. If Jaune were in Blake's shoes, he'd probably skip the possible interrogation, get on his knees and start begging for forgiveness. He'd offer to go to detention with Miss Goodwitch, all so that he didn't have to get a stern talk from the headmaster of all people.

As terrifying as Miss Goodwitch is — as in so scary that he would give the woman his lunch money to appease her. Professor Ozpin was a tall and imposing figure, who Jaune knew next to nothing about, save for his current title. With the blonde vice headmistress, he at least knows what to expect. The scariest glare that is known to Remnant while getting the lecture to end all lectures.

Being around the headmaster was nerve-racking because of the mystery surrounding him. Sure, he is a well-renowned huntsman, but Jaune was certain that the man's fame came from his position as the director of Beacon. Other than that there was nothing else Jaune knew about him. Not even a last name.

Professor Ozpin was like his dad, a great huntsman that not many people knew about.

"What an eventful evening," his teacher had a small frown when he walked in the room. The soft thud of his cane tapping the floor with every step he took, had somehow become more predominant than the violent beating of Jaune's heart.

"Just being the heroes, you trained us to be... which you guys have done a great job doing by the way," he added with a nervous laugh, which Jaune for the life of him could not explain what was even remotely funny. The blame would have to be shifted to his sisters, as they would always get him in trouble with Mom. Trying to laugh his mistakes off was the go to plan when the possibility of life in his room without games and comics was on the horizon.

Blake looked at him with a frown, accompanied by her raised brow. After being friends with the quieter member of his team throughout the semester, Jaune believed he has gotten adept at silent communication. His mind translated the silent stare.

'Really?'

He could only shrug.

"Mister Arc, know that I am relieved to see that you are well." oh, well that was pleasing to know. Maybe being scared of Ozpin was an irrational thought. "But I am not here as just your headmaster. I am also here as a huntsman."

And now the fear comes tiptoeing back.

"Of course, sir. I guess you want to start asking your questions about the docks." Blake thankfully spoke for him. Leaving the conversation to her seemed like a good idea, so that's what he'll do. There was no reason for Jaune to do any of the talking when he had a reliable friend to do it for him.

That, and he was sure that Blake could get them out of any possible trouble. She was a good student from what he could tell during the semester.

"I do," he said before the white mug reached his lips. The smell of the drink reached Jaune's nostrils. Why on Remnant would someone drink coffee so late into the evening? "How did you know to go to the shipyard to interfere with Roman Torchwick's operation?"

"We didn't," Blake answered. "We just happened to be lucky."

Why not tell him about Sun? Was she worried that the headmaster would have the blond detained to question him too? _I suppose I can't disagree with her choice._ Besides, Sun helped them, so it was fair that they didn't get him involved any more than he already was.

"Do you consider Mister Arc to be fortunate to have been gravely injured?" his words seemingly forced Blake to let her gaze fall on Jaune. Then there was a long pause, which seemed to add to the guilt she must be feeling. Blake opened her mouth to say something to him. Probably an apology, or maybe she was going to ask him to help her.

He didn't let her say a word.

"I'm the one who got myself hurt!" the blame couldn't be solely on Blake. If he were a better fighter, then he wouldn't have gotten injured. She was not going to get in trouble for _his_ inadequacy!

"And from what I have heard from Miss Belladonna's team and your own, she had apparently been saved by you. Considering the burn upon your back, I have my suspicions on how exactly you protected her." he paused, as Jaune looked at the white sheets.

There was no arguing with that, he supposed. Damn, this conversation was already turning bad, and they just started!

Blake looked away from both men, who found the ground more appealing. It was something he did a lot when his parents would scold him. For most kids, they would look away from their parents out of fear. For him fear never played a part— maybe a _small_ part, but when his eyes refused to meet his parents, it was because he was too ashamed to look at them.

Was it the same for her? Was Blake ashamed to look at Ozpin?

Was it hard for her to look at him?

"Blake..." their professor's voice cracked out, making the girl meet his brown eyes. "The other teachers and I knew of your past before your acceptance into Beacon. I am sure you knew this, correct?"

Blake answered with a simple nod. Somehow, she was still able to meet the teacher's gaze, while Jaune could only make quick glances in between them. She was the one who had to talk to Ozpin, yet he couldn't show the same courage the girl beside him had.

"While Miss Goodwitch expressed her concerns of taking you on here, I did not believe it to be a big deal. When I first saw you — I saw a girl who wanted to run away from the mistakes she once made — to do the right things and rectify the wrongs. And yet I see that you were unable to so indefinitely... which leads me to believe that perhaps Miss Goodwitch was correct in her assumption."

"No..." she whispered, causing Jaune to stop staring at his sheets, and look at Blake. Her stare was blank as if there were no more reasons to live. When he looked at her shaking eyes that seemed to glisten like wet glass, he knew that her entire world was shattering right before her eyes.

"Property damage that the school must help to pay off, running away from your team, and worst of all getting Mister Arc injured on the field. Given the circumstances of what happened this night, I am not sure if I can allow you to go unpunished."

He couldn't mean... no there was just no way!

"Miss Belladonna, from this moment on you are ex-"

"It was my idea to fight the White Fang!" a voice shouted. When Professor Ozpin and Blake both looked at him, Jaune realized that it was he who made the statement. "Blake was only trying to help me get out of trouble." he looked at Blake as he spoke, hoping that she wouldn't say anything. She mouthed _no_ to him. He let out a sigh. "I was the one who wanted to fight Torchwick and the White Fang."

"Sir, he's lyi-"

He cut her off. "Don't try to take the blame!" he needed to be confident. If he looked nervous or uncertain, then Ozpin would never believe him. "I'm the one who wanted to play the hero, so if anyone needs to be expelled it's me!" he mustered the best glare he could, and it seemed to pay off as Blake became quiet, her own eyes still wide like saucers while her lips quivered. If she was trying to think of something to say, then thankfully Blake was at a loss for words.

That's good, as long as she didn't say anything, then this can work.

"Mister Arc," what confidence Jaune had cracked away when Ozpin spoke. A pregnant pause, then a sip of his coffee before he let out a sigh. He didn't know if it was out of satisfaction from the brewed drink, or if he was stressed. "Do you realize what you are telling me?"

"I do," Oh how he knew.

"Then you realize that the punishment Miss Belladonna would have received, will instead be passed onto you," he spoke slowly, the meaning behind those words were clear. It could have been Oobleck who said those words in a jarring cadence, and Jaune would have still understood. "So I am going to ask you. Was it you who attacked Roman Torchwick, and forced Miss Belladonna — a student who is not on your team to be involved?"

Not on the same team, but still a friend.

"Please... don't do this." her soft voice was like a magnet, and his eyes were the metal that was attracted.

Once again, he could just make out the familiar glint of eyes that could barely withhold tears. Honestly, crying over an oaf like him. If someone had told him that Blake of all people would have shown emotion for him, he would have laughed. After all, they were just strangers a couple of days ago.

"Don't be punished for my mistake..." she pleaded again.

The liar was pleading to any god above that Ozpin believed that Blake was trying to take the blame for him. Jaune couldn't tell when looking at the man's undecipherable expression. Regardless, he needed to drive the final nail into the coffin.

His coffin.

Once Jaune follows through with his lie, then his time at Beacon will end tonight.

"I was the one who attacked Torchwick by myself." he sighed. "And because of my actions, I endangered Blake's life."

His dream will end tonight.

* * *

 **AN: And we're done. The story is now over, and I can move on to bigger things!**

 **...**

 **No?**

 ***Sigh* Fine, I'll keep writing this story if it makes you happy. Just know that I will take you on a ride full of joy, pain more joy and more pain than the RWBY community felt after watching the last two episodes of Volume 3. Yeah, there will be tears.**

 **I warned you!**

* * *

An Awful Omake that I spent almost no time on... go ahead and read it. : The Absence of Kindness

As Blake was reading her book, Jaune began to fidget in his bed. Right now an incredibly _sexy_ woman was beside him — this was his chance to get a girlfriend finally! If he could sound sincere and come off as the nicest guy in Beacon, then _conquering_ Blake would be possible. Jaune can finally ditch the worst third wheel in history.

 _Virginity, this is when we part ways._

With a practiced sigh, feigning disappointment. "I'm sorry that I couldn't help." Start by apologizing. Get the girl to feel bad for him, and want to console him. Eventually the target will want to make him feel better in _any_ way possible. "But at least I was able to shiel-"

"Useless bitch," she said while turning a page.

Okay...

Unexpected but he could recover. Jaune Arc won't give up on his prey so easily. After all, even after hundreds of rejections, Weiss was still his number one priority as far as which girl he wanted to have incredible sex with.

Blake was child's play in comparison to his snow angel.

"I wanted you to know that I am sorry for getting involved in your business."

"You whore." a page was turned, and Blake hadn't spared him a glance.

"And I'm sorry for meddling into your life." he continued, remembering the less than fortunate past of Blake's childhood. Back then, she must have been scorned and hated by masses of people. It reminded him of a time long forgotten in his past. A past that was just as cruel and unforgiving as her's.

"You prying, piece of shit." she continued while reading.

Jaune could no longer hold back his tears. He remembered now! Memories of his childhood began to surface. They were times long forgotten, and they should have been left forgotten. _Don't Onyx!_ But for Blake, he would allow his mind to relive that day. _That's my blueberry yogurt!_ The day when that asshole ate his favorite flavored yogurt.

"I want you to know that I was bullied as a kid too!"

"Good," she said flatly, as she turned yet another page.

"I hope that you and I can become great friends!"

"No,"

Jaune opened his mouth to speak again but stopped as Blake slammed her book shut. Despite her bored look, he could smell the sexual tension between them. Oh yeah! She totally wants the di- "I hope you die of cancer." She didn't spare the blonde another glance as she walked away. Even when she left the room, his eyes were glued to the spot where his verbal abuser sat.

He had tried to pour his heart and soul into that conversation. He had even relived the worst moment of his life for her. And yet she rejected that. Rejected _him_! How dare that _bitch_ do such a thing! That disgusting cat will rue the day she crossed paths with him!

Jaune Arc _will_ have his way with Blake Belladonna! Then... she'll have his permission to die.

"What the fuck did I walk in on?" Ozpin asked to no one in particular.


	4. A Realization of the Soul

**Read this if you want... go ahead.**

 **Do it!**

* * *

Confidence...

That's what Jaune needed in the face of the worst punishment imaginable. The determination to continue his impossible task waned, and even a selfish part of him wished that he threw Blake under the Bullhead when he had the chance. That way this would be her problem to deal with not his. He knew it was an awful thing to want for someone else.

But it was within the compounds of his mind. No one had to know.

With a sigh, he set the pen down to rub his aching wrist. Dad had told him to have confidence - which Jaune interpreted to having the courage to do what most could not. His punishment was unmistakably something most wouldn't even dream of having to do. In fact, he very well doubted that his father had the resolve to face this punishment.

The floating pen found its way back in Jaune's hand. It was not by his will, of course. But he continued, nonetheless.

 _I am deeply sorry for all the trouble I caused._ As Jaune continued his trial, his mind began to ache from the visual inducement of the increasing number of black marks on the white parchment. It didn't help that the steady rhythm of the heart monitor beside him kept _beating_ his head with each audible beep.

At least Blake was safe from this hell.

 _My actions are inexcusable, and I know that there are many things I have to do to right the wrongs I have committed._ And yet another apology that would fall upon deaf ears. Honestly, no one could be blamed for ignoring his words when there are arguably other more important things to do? The apology of a hunter-in-training probably meant little to Vale's council.

With a sigh, he leaned his chin against his hand. All he needed right now was confidence. That was what would get him through his punishment. Just be confident in what he was doing, and he can move on, and hopefully forget about everything that went wrong in his life.

He let out another sigh. The odds of his inner monologue motivating him was as likely as Ruby or Nora giving up sugar.

Life of an Arc is a difficult one indeed. _The things I have done can not be forgiven with words alone, but I hope that it can be a start._ Why _can't_ words be enough? Already, Jaune had reached just under a thousand different ways of apologizing. But there was still over nine thousand iterations left. Another breath of air escaped him. It was incredible what a man can do when the incarnate of evil was nearby.

"I _hate_ myself for what I did..." he droned, as the black ink from his pen copied his words to violate the vanilla page on his portable stand.

"Try using more advanced vocabulary." The masculine voice next to him offered. He glanced to his left, seeing the most private member of his team sitting beside him as he read a rather thick leather book.

The sad thing is, Jaune forgot that his teammate even was here. But could he be blamed for Ren's quiet nature? Having him in the same room was sadly the equivalent of a small rock with a straight line as a mouth. The point is, there were no conversations in either situation.

Also, what _great_ advice Ren. Thanks for being so _specific_.

"What, like despise?" he asked, hoping that it was satisfactory. To his credit, Ren seemed to have given it a fair chance, as his eyes glanced away from the pages of his book for the pile of papers on the small makeshift table on the blond's lap. Pink eyes then looked to his leader.

"Loathe would be a better choice." Oh, how lucky he was that Ren didn't have class right now. Apparently Professor Port was babysitting for someone. Strange, but Ren was the one who told him, so it had to be true. In the end, what mattered was that his friend was here for him. Because honestly, Jaune didn't think he could do this with only _her_ in the room. He feigned ignorance of the rhythmic sequence of audible cracks her riding crop made from hitting her desk.

 _Just pretend that she isn't even here._ Jaune said his thanks and went back to writing while his quiet friend continued reading.

Seeing his reserved friend read reminded him of Blake. On most days, the faunus member of the sister team would silently read while everyone else would chat. But for those instances when the conversation included her, she would only give short responses. Ren was the same way, even with Nora. He would reply with only a few words to get his point across, and go back to being a spectator. It was for those reasons that Jaune can't help but think that his two friends _are_ alike. If it wasn't for his bubbly teammate, he had half a mind to expect his two quiet friends to start dating. There wasn't any reason that stuck out why it _wouldn't_ work out.

Now that he was comparing the two, it made Jaune realize just how little he knew about Ren. He couldn't help but frown from the conclusion. With Blake, it was understandable, as they weren't on the same team, so there hadn't been a reason to get to know her at first. But Ren was different. They were on the same team, and yet Jaune only knew a few things about him.

Ren liked to read - the book in his hands was the only evidence he could base that on. Something else that _everyone_ knew about him was that he had the best control of his aura in their year. The only quirk Ren had that Jaune knew of was that he was generally stoic. The only times the blonde ever noticed a change in his expression was when he was talking with Nora. She was probably the only person he cared about at Beacon.

 _Have I failed as a leader?_ Jaune didn't want to leave things the way they were. He knew more about Blake than his teammate, and that can't stand. Maybe things needed to change.

"You're crumbling the paper," Ren said flatly.

"Oh, crap!" Jaune exclaimed as he set the crumpled paper down. With his calloused hand, he gently smooths out the paper to remove any major folds or creases. At the very least he tries to make the page more presentable for its future reader.

 _I couldn't be mad if he did hate that I was chosen to be leader.  
_

He remembered the firm grasp Ren had on his shoulder from last night - it was as if he was afraid that letting go would mean losing him.

Why was he an idiot? It made him feel sick to think his friend didn't care about the team. While Jaune didn't doubt that his friend would pay special attention to Nora, there shouldn't be any doubts about Ren's character.

Jaune didn't deserve his team - they deserved someone who could bring them to their full potential. But they were stuck with a liar who shouldn't have gotten in. _Which is why I need to get better for their sake,_ Regardless of how he got here, he was going to make the most of the chance he got. That was a promise.

With a quick glance, he noticed his teammate's focus was on the story. Jaune didn't know why, but his blue eyes started trailing the book's smooth brown leather to its undamaged pages. Unlike the paper he squeezed, there wasn't a sign of creasing. Eventually, the beautiful gold lettering of the title caught his interest. _One Good Turn Deserves Another._ Jaune read. An interesting title, he supposed, and judging by the pristine condition his teammate had it in, he could tell that it was good enough for Ren to preserve. That or he bought it recently.

It certainly looks expensive.

"Shouldn't you be concentrated on writing your apology letter?" Ren asked with a raised brow, as his lips turn upward.

"I hate you." Ren rolled his eyes. These kinds of moments with him were too far and in-between. It almost helped him forget about his worries from earlier.

"Use more advanced vocabulary," he repeated, not seeming to care about Jaune's best impression of Glynda Goodwitch. The glare probably felt like a gentle ocean breeze in comparison to the chilly blizzard of death that Goodwitch's horrifying stare could do.

"I loathe you." he would use his friend's teachings against him!

"Better." he congratulated, with a smirk.

"Mister Arc..." when he heard that voice, Jaune's mind immediately threw Ren's entire existence in a trash can, burning it in the process. Even the book and its title were forgotten. Right now, the hospitalized Knight had a job to do. One that couldn't wait any longer. He wrote faster than he ever thought imaginable, all so that more punishments won't stack on top of the current ones.

After all. When Glynda Goodwitch was sitting behind a desk that she took with her from God knows where one does _not_ just slack off.

"You can relax and see your doctor once you write ten thousand words." Jaune didn't need to look up from the white parchment to know that the evil witch was glaring at him. He's experienced a woman's ire enough times to know when one was growing irritated with his presence. Also, why did he have to finish a stupid apology letter before seeing his doctor?! Wouldn't a medical checkup take precedence over a stupid apology letter?

He made sure to keep his voice low when he looked to his companion. "I might finish faster if she weren't such a hard ass."

" _Faster_ Mister Arc, I do not have all day," she _commanded._

"Hard _worker_! That's what I meant to say, I swear!" As expected the blonde gave him another one of her infamous glares. No! Referring to that look as a simple glare didn't give it the injustice that it unfortunately deserves! What Jaune was experiencing was something outside the realm of normality. Which was saying something when he was living the life of a huntsman now.

That _stare_ was something that only a select few had. It was a gaze reserved for the chosen few of the female population of Remnant. Few had to experience its poison... but it was a poison that was inflicted upon Jaune a long time ago. To make a tragic tale even more depressing, it was by his mother. Juniper Arc, whose violet eyes acted as poison darts.

Many would tell sorry souls that it gets better with time. That through sheer force of will, one can become immune to the eyes of evil incarnate. His father quickly dashed those rumors saying that it was a load of garbage. To understand the futility of trying to battle a woman's glare, one has to realize that the progress of time never ceases, while a man's life was limited. Those eyes of evil that Miss Goodwitch and others command is like time itself. Eternal, and never ceasing. So for someone to say that it gets better with time, is the biggest liar on the face of Remnant.

It never gets better with time. As time was never on his side to begin with.

He turned to Ren, hoping for some words of wisdom.

The man he called brother had a small smile as he put small plugs inside his ears.

 _You traitor..._

* * *

It had taken twenty-four hours.

Twenty-four hours after the incident at the docks for Blake to realize that she had no way of repaying Jaune.

Throughout the entire day, Blake had been thinking of anything to repay her savor for all he did for her. As a start to paying her debt, she had written a second set of notes from Professor Oobleck's lecture so Jaune wouldn't be behind on his studies.

She would have done the same for Port's class, but apparently, the man was babysitting, so class was canceled. Odd...

The implications of Port taking care of a child aside, Blake invested her mind on Jaune, who was most likely in the middle of his punishment.

Even if she wrote notes for all the days he missed class, would that be enough? In the faunus' eyes, no it wasn't. She realized that it sounded so childish to worry over something as trivial as a gift. Blake usually wouldn't overthink such things, but someone saving her out of selfless reasons wasn't a typical scenario for her. There had only been one other person who had ever defended her. But back then, she had never stressed over repaying the favor with a gift.

Because with Adam, his only wish was for them to keep fighting together, and to always look out for one another. He believed that risking himself for her was to be expected and that it should be the same vice versa. That was back then when she had once thought she had found someone she... was it love? To be honest, she didn't know. But she knew that what her former friend and mentor became was someone she didn't want to have any kind of relation with.

Jaune was different. She hadn't been friends with him for years like she had been with Adam. And yet he did things for her that few would ever consider doing for a friend.

Paying for her ticket to leave Beacon, risking his life in a fight that he shouldn't have taken part of and taking the blame for _her_ mistakes. Blake doubted that Ozpin believed the blond's confession, as Jaune was the type of guy to wear his emotions on his sleeves. Even if lying was something he excelled at - the headmaster seemed like the sort of man who could identify lies before they were even said. So it came as a surprise when he accepted the confession without any questions asked.

Blake still had a perfect image in her mind of the look of astonishment on his face when he received his punishment. She was certain that the goofy knight was the happiest he had felt that night.

/-/

 _"I thought you were going to expel her!" Jaune exclaimed. The relieved smile he had was almost childish in the sense that he was only getting away with a slap on the wrist._

 _But Blake found that she wanted to mimic the action._

 _"Miss Belladonna will still be punished. But," he added, stopping her and Jaune from saying anything with his raised hand. "From what I have gathered, it is Miss Belladonna that brought you to Vale. And with what you have told me, you are the one that decided to engage the White Fang." when he leaned forward, she could see a hint of a smile. "The way I see it, you are both responsible for what has happened, so your separate repercussions will not be as strict.  
_

 _Blake can't believe it._

 _"I can't believe it." Jaune's soft voice echoed her thoughts, as he smiled like a small boy who just received the one birthday gift he had wanted for months._

 _"Mister Arc," She and Jaune looked to their headmaster, who had a smile as well, albeit much smaller. But it couldn't be denied that for the first time since their arrival at Beacon; the green-clad professor showed something that they had never seen from him before. Pride. "I am proud to have an institution that teaches individuals such as yourself. For you to take the punishment in Miss Belladonna's stead, is proof to me, to your peers and to the staff at Beacon that your admission here was not a mistake."_

 _Those words were all she needed, to know that Ozpin was aware of the truth. Whatever purpose there was to his decision to accept the lie was a mystery that she wasn't sure she'd ever solve. But_ _Blake agreed with the headmaster, and she wanted to tell Jaune that she appreciated what he did for her._

 _But when she saw fresh tears trailing down his cheeks, she found that her mind couldn't think of anything to say. Because what reason was there for him to cry? So Blake didn't ask any questions, but instead, went to grab something to wipe away the tears in her friend's eyes. That is until she heard his quiet snickers. Before she could even process why, his voice erupted into uproarious laughter, making him look so silly as he expressed the joy he was unmistakably feeling. Usually, she would have rolled her eyes at such an expression. But that smile of his must have had some sort of magic that spread happiness._

 _As silly as it sounded, she couldn't help but believe that. Because Blake found herself grinning as well, and she didn't care that she joined Jaune's laughter, nor did it matter to her if the headmaster found their expressions to be humorous._

 _All that mattered to her was that Jaune wasn't going to lose his dream because of her._

 _Tonight would be a memory that she would cherish forever._

 _"I hope that the two of you have learned something from this night and that the next time you find yourselves in a similar situation, you will not make the same mistake as last time." When Ozpin's stern gaze met hers, she couldn't help but fidget in her seat. Whatever her punishment would be, it must be worse than Jaune's. The mentioned blonde didn't seem to notice, as he still kept grinning away as if he wasn't injured._

 _"Mister Arc..." a voice **seethed**. It didn't take anyone in the room long to know whose voice that belonged to. _

_Standing there with her arms crossed, was Glynda Goodwitch. Highlighted in a purple hue were dozens of white papers that seemed to float like magic carpets. It would have been an entertaining scene if it wasn't for the glare._

 _And it was directed at Jaune._

 _Blake could feel his anxiety. That, or she was scared._

 _Knowing how terrifying Miss Goodwitch was. Probably both._

 _/-/_

He risked so much for her. Even though Ozpin was lenient, it still didn't change that fact.

What on Remnant could she do for him? She didn't have any lien to give. Besides, giving Jaune money as a way of thanking him for saving her life seemed inconsiderate. In fact, it would be the same as placing a price on his life. A life he was willing to sacrifice for her.

So because she was so stumped on what to do, Blake did the unthinkable. "Yang, I would appreciate it if you could take this moderately seriously." she went to her partner for advice. The realization of her mistake became more and more apparent as the blonde's loud voice echoed through the narrow halls no doubt waking everyone on their floor.

No matter how many times it can be iterated. Blake could not stress enough how terrible a mistake it was to go to Yang for advice. The only thing worse than her partner would have been to go to Pyrrha.

The redhead misunderstanding Blake's intention was not something on her priority list. Then again, perhaps it would have been better to go to Pyrrha. Blake could have explained her reason for wanting to help Jaune, and while she may have her doubts at the start, Blake was confident that a bit of convincing is all it would take to dash any confusion.

But instead, she thought it would be a good idea to go to her partner for advice.

"I can't breath!" she held her stomach as she continued to lose oxygen from her obnoxious laughter.

What a mistake that had been.

"Yang, this is serious. And what is even funny about this?" could her partner just take this matter seriously? All the courage in the world was barely enough to get Blake to approach Yang in the first place.

"Stop whining kit-cat!" The strong force of Yang's arm pulled her in, causing their cheeks to squish together. Blake could _feel_ the girl's smile. And that served to prove the validity of her earlier assessment. "We'll think of something together."

"I doubt that." she said, as Yang thankfully separated from her.

With a hand resting on her chest, she gasped feigning shock. "Blake, why must you have such little faith in me? When it comes to the heart, I take these matters very seriously." Yang... "I'll help you win the heart of our resident knight."

So that was why she was laughing. _Why am I not surprised?_ That was Yang alright. Teasing her about romance when it had nothing to do with the situation. She did not pine for Jaune nor would she ever for that matter. But even though her intention was not to start a relationship with Jaune, she dreaded what might happen if Pyrrha heard that from Yang. No doubt the redhead would see her as a love rival.

Blake was content with the love lives of the characters in her stories.

"He isn't my type," Blake admitted. He was a friend who saved her life and risked getting expelled to keep her away from trouble. For that, she would value him as a good friend - despite knowing next to nothing about him. But that didn't mean she would approach him in any romantic manner. She just didn't see him in that light. Correction, she _couldn't_. To put it bluntly, Jaune was a socially awkward man-child who couldn't notice Pyrrha's affections if she were a charging Goliath. "I just want to repay him." That's all there was to it. Because even though he was never obligated to help her, he still risked his life.

Blake felt indebted to him, but it begged the question. How to repay him? She already planned on taking notes for him during the days he would be absent. Since the damage to his skin was severe, he would probably need to stay in bed for a month or so until his aura healed him. Unfortunately for him, that meant he'd be stuck getting treated during their two-week break from school.

Taking notes for him wasn't nearly enough. There had to be more that she could do and Blake would spend however much time she needed to figure it out.

"You just don't know how." Yang surmised while opening the door to their room. She moved out of the way to let Blake enter first, which she did with a nod. Sitting on her neatly made bed, she noticed the absence of her other two teammates. They were most likely in the library studying with Weiss more likely acting as a tutor for their young leader than studying. When she heard the door shut, she turned to see Yang lean back against the wall with crossed arms.

"So any suggestions?" she asked, hoping for that Yang would offer sound advice.

"You could always sneak in and give him a good time." And of course; the blonde had that typical smile of hers while wiggling her eyebrows.

"Yang..." she warned, not particularly enjoying her partner's flirtatious nature at the moment.

"I'm only kidding, jeez," Yang said with a roll of her eyes. "Does it really matter, though? I think he'll be okay with anything you do. Personally, I can't imagine Vomit Boy caring about some debt you _think_ you owe him." As her smile softened, she continued. "You mentioned that you were going to write notes for the classes he was going to miss, right? I think that's good enough payment for him."

"That's not enough, and you know it."

"And why's that?" Yang groaned,

"Jaune's life is priceless." She was somehow able to repress a blush from that. Not because of any feelings for him, but because how embarrassing that sounded. Yang only raised a brow, probably curious at her choice of words, but didn't say a thing. "A _person's_ life is priceless," she explained, hoping it would stop Yang from misinterpreting her. What she said about his life was the truth, but she believed the same thing about her team, and the members of JNPR. "Each moment lived - every action taken can never be taken back. And Jaune readily abandoned caution to the wind to save me." There is such little time in one's life. Every second is more precious than any amount of lien.

Because after death, there is _nothing_ else.

"Giving him some notes is not an equivalent exchange for what he did for me," Blake said with finality. She wouldn't hear another word from Yang, not unless it was an honest suggestion.

Right now, she needed her partner's help. If Yang couldn't offer it, then maybe she was better off going to someone else. _I don't care who I go to, just as long as I figure out the best way to thank him._

Yang closed her eyes, a small smile appearing. "So much work for a simple thank you," That was because he deserved the effort. "You are a stubborn one," her partner said as if it were the answer to a question. With a sigh, she pushed her body off the wall, taking a few steps toward their bunk bed. With a jump, she landed on the top bed, causing a violent shake that made the faunus nervously eye the books that supported the top bed.

If Blake didn't know any better, she would have assumed that Yang was trying to kill her.

She forced the fear of a collapsing bed to the back of her mind, to patiently wait for Yang to offer her first good advice of the day hopefully. What a great prospect that would be. It was only after a few fleeting moments of silence that Blake heard _another_ sigh from Yang. It was the familiar sound of her giving up on a homework assignment.

How helpful, Yang.

"You could just try asking him." she suggested.

And what an awful suggestion it was.

"I can't just ask him."

"Why not?"

"I-" No matter how badly she wanted to explain why it was a bad idea to ask him. Blake found herself at a loss for what to say. Why couldn't she just ask him? Was it the possibility that he might want help getting a date with Weiss? She wouldn't do that to her teammate, no matter how many times Jaune may save her life. Or worse, would he try to force a date out of her? _Not that I ever would. Dating is the last thing on my mind._

Those were good enough reasons to give, yet why hadn't she explained that?

"You can't think of a legitimate reason, can you." Yang had said it as a fact, rather than a question. Blake wanted to deny it, as she did have reasons for her decision. But for whatever reason, she didn't state it.

Was it because she didn't even believe that Jaune would do the things she thought he would? Or maybe, she was afraid of confronting him without having anything to thank him with? How absurd it was, but she couldn't find a reason to deny it. She was beginning to hate blondes even more. Why was it that they had to make things so complicated?

"Personally..." Yang's voice came out softly. "I think you just worrying about him is enough for our resident knight." How can that be? No matter how she looked at it, Blake couldn't make any sense of her partner's logic.

Why couldn't someone just give her the answers she needed?

"Why is this so difficult?" she whispered.

Yang must have heard the simple question, given the giggle she heard above her. "Sometimes, you have to face your problems head on." The Xiao Long way of doing things was not something Blake could achieve. Unlike Yang, who always charges in head first without a care about the consequences, Blake needed to think of the results of her actions and determine if it would lead to the best possible outcome.

If the chances of her actions causing more problems were even remotely high, then she would give up on the plan entirely.

In that regard, many would consider her to be a coward. Yang was her complete opposite, fearless against anything as far as she could tell. Whether there was an army of Grimm or an army of hormonal boys, she would never hesitate to spring into action.

Yang was amazing like that.

"I'm not like you. Facing my problems the way you do is impossible for someone like me."

They didn't say anything else after that. Blake didn't hear another sound save for her quiet breathing, and she knew for a fact that it wasn't because her partner fell asleep from boredom. If that were the case, she would have heard Yang's loud and infuriating snoring.

So many hours of sleep lost because of her.

"You're going to become a huntress Blake." her voice was so thick with amusement that she could practically see the girl's wide smirk. "If you're afraid of confronting a boy when it has nothing to do with hormones, then how are you going to deal with criminals and Grimm?" Her grinning upside down face appeared, her golden mane letting gravity drag it down like a hanging curtain. "Trust me, Blake. See Jaune tomorrow, and I guarantee you that he'll be happy with just a visit. You might even find yourself wanting to know more about him."

"Not my type, remember?" Blake said with a smirk.

"You know what I mean." she rolled her eyes but still had her smile. "So are you gonna do it?"

Visit Jaune empty handed save for a set of notes? It sounded like an awful plan if she had, to be honest. How could a simple visit be enough to express her gratitude?

But she also suggested getting to know him. Blake didn't know many things about Jaune, but she was determined to be his friend. So, maybe if she just took the time being with him, and formed a stronger friendship with him, that would be enough to convey her gratitude. Of course, there was the chance he might misinterpret her actions as an interest romantically.

 _But it's the best thing to do._ Blake sighed, as she let her tired body collapse on the bed. _More like the only thing I can do._

"I'll go see him tomorrow." she relented, getting a thumbs up from Yang in the process, right before she fell to the floor face first.

Why do all blondes give her so many problems?

* * *

"Remember to have one of your teammates wash your back every day so that bacteria doesn't enter the broken skin." A man's voice said as if listing an item on a grocery list. Jaune nodded, despite only paying half attention to the the doctor sitting next to him. Yes, he knew that valuable information about his treatment was being given to him, so he needed to listen. If he wanted to get well sooner rather than later, then he had to take his recovery seriously.

But why did the man have to sound so bored about it? Unlike other doctors that Jaune had met, he didn't exude any care or kindness. It was as if being here drained his life.

Was this guy really the head of Beacon's medical team?

"Do try to pay attention." Came the man's flat voice. At first glance, he assumed that his doctor was all business. As long as the patient is taken care of, then enthusiasm was irrelevant, right? But as he kept talking, the suspicion that he lacked any empathy for his patients was becoming more and more believable.

 _Why do I have such awful luck?_ He allowed gravity to let his head collapse to his hands.

"I don't want to be here either, but Glynda _insisted_ that I tell you all this." Was that sadness he heard? Well, when Miss Goodwitch forces something, then the task will be done. Jaune felt a cold shiver down his spine despite the unbearable heat in the room that could melt furniture. He could feel the sweaty gown hugging his body as if it were his nonexistent girlfriend being intimate with him- which begs the question.

"Sir, why is it so hot in here?" It felt like a hot summer day in Vale that only a scoop of ice cream and the cool water from the ocean could help against this torture.

"Why were you stupid enough to get a third degree burn on your back?"

"... carry on." He accepted, matching his doctor's gaze. It was as he started paying full attention that he made out the additional features the man possessed.

The medical professional was tall and lanky, which sadly reminded Jaune of his physique at the start of the semester. Long red hair tipped with blonde in a ponytail framed his pale face. He was a faunus too, but he wouldn't have been able to tell from afar. Because unlike the bookworm, he didn't have a set of ears - nor did he have a tail like Sun. What made him realize his doctor's heritage, was when looking into his seemingly dead gold eyes that many faunus were known to have. His eyes had split pupils, that were admittedly kind of cool. But the most striking feature he had was the dark bags under his eyes that only someone who hasn't slept in weeks could have.

"Sir, if you're exhausted, we can schedule this another time." There was a twitch in his tired eye, but Jaune chalked it up as just his imagination. "I mean, if the doctor isn't feeling well, then no one is going to get better."

"Kid..."

"Yes, sir?"

"The more you keep talking, the more fuel you add on your funeral pyre."

O...kay...

So maybe the eye twitching wasn't his imagination. Good to know!

When the seemingly exhausted doctor stood, he took in the details of the man's uniform for the first time. He wore a white dress shirt worn under a buttoned black vest. Sewn where his heart was, the vest displayed the symbol of a small red ember. Jaune didn't know why, but when looking at the emblem, it made him think of a dying flame that the wind could easily blow away.

He ignored the sewn flame a moment later, for anything else. The red fabric around his doctor's neck caught his attention soon after. He realized that it was supposed to be a tie. Now, Jaune didn't know if it was for fashion's sake or just because he was too lazy, but he didn't even try to tie it.

Was every staff member at Beacon weird?

"From your silence, I guess I can continue now." Hearing a flame flicker to life Jaune's eyes were glued to the metal lighter the doctor's black gloved hand held. Like his vest, there was the symbol of a flame on his glove. However, this time the fire icon was vibrant, and brightly colored with a mix of orange and yellow.

The small fire from the lighter lit the white cigarette in his mouth before Jaune could question him. Okay, since when was smoking around a patient the professional thing to do? How did this guy ever become a doctor?! "You gawking at me isn't going to make the cigarette go away so deal with it."

Oh, come on!

"Look, kid, I'm getting real tired of your face so let's get a move on." The doctor with questionable credibility pocketed his lighter. When he took his first drag, the man deprived of sleep held a vanilla folder in his gloveless hand. It didn't take a genius to know what was inside the folder. "Open it. It's better if you have an image for what I'm about to ask you." The folder found it's way on his lap a second later.

As instructed, Jaune opened the file to see a photo of him smiling, and below that was a collection of text. Most of it was about his height, weight, and medical history. Jaune skipped half of the information until he read the report of his injury. As he was told, he has a third-degree burn on his back, but other than that he didn't have any other significant injuries. Just a few bruises from Torchwick.

When he finished reading the report, a name caught his attention. Not much of a surprise, but the one who did the diagnostic was the man standing beside him. The name- Doctor Ryu Arima was written in bold lettering. At least he knows the name of his caretaker - okay more like his _forced_ babysitter.

When Jaune turned to the next page, his stomach felt as if he was on a fast moving bullhead flown by a lunatic. That description didn't give the disgusted feeling in his belly enough credit. Looking at the damaged back would have been revolting enough if he didn't know that it was a picture of him. It felt weird to know that his backside looked like a butchered pig.

It was a good thing that Torchwick wasn't on the streets anymore.

"Nasty thing isn't it." Doctor Arima's drowsy voice murmured. "Well, now that I have your complete attention we can cut to the chase." With a deep breath, he finished the other half of his cigarette and threw it in the ashtray next to him.

Then he lit another one.

"If it weren't for your aura, you'd have suffered even more damage. I'd gamble the possibility of a fourth-degree burn." Well, at least it wasn't that, then. "Don't look so relieved, Mister Arc. Your injury isn't something that should be taken lightly."

"Sorry, Doctor Arima."

"Just call me Ryu." he sounded bored.

"Yes, sir." Ryu rolled his eyes - so being formal with him seemed to annoy him too. Then again, what didn't bother him at this point?

"While you shouldn't take your recovery lightly, I can't help but admit to being impressed with your aura. Turn the page." With a nod, he looked at the second image.

What the-

"I had that same idiotic expression of astonishment that you have. In a single day, your aura already healed thirty percent of the damage on your back." Ryu took his seat next to Jaune again. The percentage didn't mean too much to him, but the image of his scabbed back left him speechless. On the first day his skin looked like it would take months to heal, yet today it looked leagues better. Admittedly, it was still an ugly sight that he wouldn't show is friends, but his recovery was incredible.

Jaune's small victory abruptly ended when Ryu roughly slapped his recovering back!

"Argh! What the hell!?" God, it might as well have been Yang who did that. For someone who looked so lanky, he could really pack a punch. He glared at Ryu's only gloved hand, the culprit. God, was his right hand made of metal?

"Good. So you can feel pain." Of course, he can feel pain!

It was when Jaune began to gently rub his aching back that Doctor Ari- Ryu finished his second cigarette. Not a moment later and he took out another one. Blake with her books and now Ryu with his cigarettes. For a doctor, there was no question that he wasn't the paragon of health. Jaune was tempted to comment on that but stopped himself from doing so. _I get the feeling that I'd just annoy him even more than I already have._

"So why did you hit me?"

Ryu didn't answer at first. He seemed annoyed by the inquiry, and there was a chance that he would have ignored his patient to keep smoking. But with a sigh, he took one drag and crushed it prematurely in the black ashtray.

"A lot of people have this misconception that a third-degree burn is the most painful of the burn categories. In truth, most victims can't feel any pain."

But that doesn't make any sense. The first time Torchwick's attack hit him, he had experienced the worst pain in his life, and he refused to believe that it was a figment of his imagination.

The feeling of his skin boiling from the heated dust was something he could never make up.

"You don't look convinced." Jaune didn't say anything, earning him a sigh from the doctor. "The damage a third-degree burn causes spreads throughout every layer of skin. The flames eventually breach your body, to damage the nerves which will make the pain go numb."

"Then why did I feel pain when you hit me?"

"Your question has a stupidly simple answer that is complicated in nature." Ryu sighed, and despite how annoyed his words were made out to be, the man himself seemed bored as ever. "You have your freakishly high amounts of aura to thank."

"Well, my partner did say that I have a lot of aura."

"And isn't that the understatement of the year." The man frowned and leaned forward. "That last attack you took from Torchwick, not only burned your back but should have destroyed the nerves in your spine. But just now, you felt my strike."

"So my aura healed my nerves," He concluded, but still, he did not know what the point of this conversation was.

"Unless you have a semblance that's healing is potent enough to create new nerves, that is impossible. No, your aura didn't generate new nerves, but shielded them." He paused, taking a deep breath as if there was still a cigarette in his mouth. "If you were anyone else, then you would never have been able to walk again."

"I-" What could he say to that? If not for his aura, then his dream of ever becoming a Huntsman would have ended. He almost lost his dream because he saved Bla- _No_!

Jaune punched himself in the face, feeling the aura that hugged his skin dull the pain. He started probing the back of his mouth with his tongue, the taste of iron almost made him scrunch his face in disgust. But the thought of blaming Blake for his injury was far more disgusting than the taste of his blood. Hearing Ryu let out a curse, saying something about stupid kids, Jaune looked to him. "I won't even ask what that was about, and nor do I care. Anyway, how much about aura do you know?"

Remembering the explanation that Pyrrha gave him during initiation. "It's the manifestation of our soul." Ryu was silent, probably waiting for him to continue. It was a nice gesture, but one that Jaune didn't need since there wasn't much else he knew about it. "It's also like a force field." his answer didn't come out as confident as it did the last time he said that.

Jaune forced out a laugh, only to choke on it when he saw Ryu's dead eyes begin to twitch again.

Ryu sighed, "I suppose that answers my question. Well, to start with yes. Aura is as you've said the manifestation of the soul. Hunters utilize it in a variety of different ways. From improved defense," he frowned before continuing. "or as you said creates a 'force field' that shields our skin. There's also the improved healing factor, which your aura seems to take that to the extreme. With some individuals, aura also boosts their strength and speed depending on their control. Though there are only a few hunters who have taken the time to master their aura to that extent."

"Why is that?"

"Does spending a decade only to scratch the surface of its potential sound rewarding to you?"

Well, when he puts it like that...

Ryu sighed, taking a brief glance at the ashtray. "Most people would have ended up like this ash after taking a hit from Roman's weapon. The cane uses superheated purified dust. It may just look like your average explosive projectile-"

 _Average_!?

"-but trust me. I've personally seen similar cases and even Huntsman worth a damn can't afford to get hit by an attack like that. Death by flames is a nasty thing." For the first time, those eyes of his held a glimpse of emotion that wasn't apathy. It was a flash of anger, but it happened so fast that he almost missed it.

It didn't take long for Ryu to take out his fourth cigarette since they started talking.

"Runt, I want to know what went through your head when you protected Miss Belladonna. Don't leave out any details."

Doing as his doctor wanted, he thought back to that night. He remembered Torchwick aiming at his friend with a grin, the sensation of how scared he was for Blake came next. Next, he remembered how his legs were burning as he ran to her, and more importantly how much faster he was. All he knew at that moment was that he needed to reach her before it was too late- "When I was running to Blake, I wanted to be fast enough to get to her in time."

Then he remembered the warmth of Blake's body as he held her. It happened in an instant, but he could remember his next thought so clearly. The only thing that mattered at the time was using his back as a shield for Blake. "All I kept thinking as I held her, was using my back as a shield."

"Interesting..." Despite the meaning of the word, Ryu didn't seem all that impressed. Though, Jaune could just chalk that up to him being an emotionally scarce person. "Your aura reacted to what you _wanted_. You _wanted_ to be faster, so your aura responded, by increasing the strength of the muscles in your legs. You _wanted_ to use your back as a shield, so your aura directed the flow to a single point to protect Blake and your back. It's as if your soul was fulfilling your wishes, while also doing everything it can to keep you safe."

"My aura did that on its own?"

"Of course not. Aura may passively protect our skin, but it can't do anything complex. It's a mystery to me how you were able to control your aura like that despite being so early in your career. To direct the flow of aura as you did takes years of practice. Like I said before, our aura surrounds the skin like armor. For the few who dedicate their time in mastering their aura, it takes a few years to do what you did." he yawned. "I guess you were born lucky."

"I certainly don't feel lucky." Jaune sighed, "I may have been able to use some higher level technique, but that doesn't mean I can do it again. I was just running on adrenaline."

"At least you're a good meat shield." the small flame from the lighter started burning the rolled up tobacco.

"Was that really necessary?"

"I'm just stating something you've already done," he said, referring to the faunus on team RWBY. Ryu stood up ignoring the questioning look from him. "I'll be taking my leave. If you need anything, _don't_ call me. While you're alone, you can sit and think about your stupidity, and how you can remedy that." He waved a goodbye with his gloved hand.

That bastard.

But it got him thinking. There was still a lot he needed to do to get better. At the current rate, his training was going, he'd be lucky to be at Pyrrha's level by his third year at Beacon. There just had to be a way for him to improve faster. While patience was a virtue, last night at the docks was a wake-up call for him. He never wanted to feel so helpless again. To only be useful as a human shield for his friends.

But how could he improve faster? Unlike everyone else, he didn't have a semblance to work with, nor did he have any special skills.

When there is a will, there is a way. Jaune had a lot of time to contemplate his options, and he would use that time wisely. So what could he do to get strong enough in a short amount of time? He was getting much better using his weapon, and while he wasn't anywhere near perfect, he could hold his own against Cardin now. _I still haven't beaten him yet, but it's a start._

Other than what he has already improved, there wasn't anything worthwhile that came to mind.

Pyrrha told him that he shouldn't expect to be at her level in such a short amount of time. Deep down he found that unfair despite how childish it was. The night she told him that, he accepted it as a fact. Today was different. Before, he felt that he had all the time in the world to get better.

 _"You really are just a naive kid chasing after a foolish dream…" Torchwick growled._

If his sheets were someone's neck, then they'd die of suffocation. Time wasn't on his side anymore. If someone like Torchwick threatened to hurt his friends, then he had to be ready to fight. Like he said months ago, he wasn't going to be the lovable idiot, stuck in the tree while his friends fight for their lives.

There had to be something that could give him an edge. Right now, all he had was a large reserve of aura, but he didn't know how to use it. A huge waste to be honest. If Jaune could learn to use his aura then, he'd get-!

That's it! "Why am I so stupid?!"

It had been so obvious now that he thought about it. Pyrrha even told him a few nights ago that learning to utilize his aura would help him improve. Ryu was even talking about how unusual his affinity with aura was! "But that begs the question. How am I going to learn to use my aura as quickly as possible?" Pyrrha was a great teacher, but he needed someone who had an in-depth knowledge of the subject. He couldn't go to one of the professors. Their schedules were way too packed for them to take the time to help one student.

That left his peers, "But who has the control of aura in my yea-" He didn't get to finish his question because his scroll sounded. It was a catchy tune that he heard a couple of weeks ago, which he liked enough to buy. Seeing the name of his caller, he answered. "Ren? What's up?"

"Nora and I were wondering if you wanted anything to eat." came the voice from the other end. "I'd offer late night pancakes but..."

"Nora,"

"Nora," He sounded so tired that Jaune could imagine his tired expression. "Is there anything in particular you want?"

"Nah, it's fine. Thanks for the offer Ren, but I'm not hungry." It was a nice gesture, but he needed to think of someone who could teach him to use aura.

It was when the aura specialist on his team hung up, that Jaune realized the answer to his question. It was also the moment when he deduced that his stupidity must be getting worse. How is it that he can be so blind to the answer that is right in front of him?

Jaune went through his contact, scrolling to contacts whose names started with the letter R. His thumb pressed down on the screen, his scroll trying to connect with the contact of his choice. It only took a second for the call to go through. He supposed it was to be expected, as they had just talked to one another. That or he was eager to speak with the blonde.

"Hey, we need to talk about something. Can you meet me in the shower room tomorrow?" Someone did need to wash his back, so he might as well kill two Nevermores with one stone by having Ren do it.

When the adorable voice on the other line started to sputter a reply, Jaune's face must have been redder than the poor girl's cloak.

"Ruby!" Oh God, he hoped Yang doesn't hear about this. "I am so sorry! The call was meant for Ren, I swear."

Her voice became even louder, causing his ear to ring.

"No, I am not gay. Ren and I aren't like that."

Another barrage of cute squealing later and Jaune was tempted to jump in a fire.

"Ruby, I promise that I am not dating anyone." Why did it even matter if he was? Honestly, even if she's only fifteen the girl can be so confusing. "I'm sorry about the call. Goodnight Ruby."

Okay, let's try that again.

* * *

So dear Roman has been captured." The beautiful woman who sat on the leather couch watched the swirling red liquid in her glass. Her eyes following the wine's slender legs that drip down the side of the transparent glass. She took a moment to glance up at her green-haired charge, waiting for the girl's report.

"Yes, ma'am. We believe students from Beacon captured him."

So Ozpin _does_ have pawns in his school. It didn't surprise her in the least. But still, for children to best Roman. How interesting, yet infuriating that was.

"Was anything salvaged from the operation?" She guided the drink to her small nose, letting the aroma enlighten her of its contents. The smell of oak was the first thing she recognized, telling her that her drink must have been stored in wooden barrels to age properly. Another sniff and she could spot the fruitiness, or more precisely the ripe grapes. There was a hint of honey as well; that seemed to invite her to taste the fine wine.

"The only thing we were able to retrieve, was Roman's weapon." It seems the self-proclaimed master thief always did find a way to fail. They even had to secure the fool's weapon for him.

"I see." A sip is all she took as she allowed the liquid to move around her tongue. It tasted dry, due to the oak she identified before. A moment later and she could taste those perfectly aged grapes, black cherries and of course that small trace of honey. Admittedly, this was rather a delightful experience for the tongue.

But Cinder Fall had better.

"I assume you stopped Neo from intervening?"

"We did, as we believed her presence should still be kept hidden." Came Emerald's quick response. It was the best option of course. And for that, she would commend them both. Cinder glanced at her second charge, seeing the young mercenary leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, while their previously mentioned little companion sat on a table next to him.

Cinder took yet another small sip, allowing her a moment to enjoy the sweet wine, before addressing her two subordinates. "You did well, the both of you."

"But what about Torchwick?"

Mercury for the first time had spoken. He tilted his head towards Neo, who was eyeing a vial of grounded dust. Around the seated girl were various crystals of the energy propellant, each with different effects that could prove destructive depending on the user. From a novice, one could make ammunition or cause easy to detonate explosives. Handled by a master... well that was truly unique. By grinding a single crystal, a single Huntsman could harness a significant amount of power be it fire, ice or even the weather itself. Not to the extent of a Maiden, but that didn't mean the mastery over dust wasn't dangerous.

"As much as I hate the guy, we need him," The message he gave was clear. Without Torchwick, stealing dust would become increasingly challenging, but more importantly, they would lose Neo. Of course, Cinder already knew that fact. Roman still had an important role that she couldn't trust the White Fang to do alone. Unreliable he might seem, in truth he was a clever man molded by experience with an uncaring disregard for those who got in his way.

Cinder regarded the girl again, seeing her play with the dangerous crystals as if everyone around her didn't exist. Roman posed a significant threat on his own, but the small girl was even more dangerous than the man she follows. Physical illusions, tremendous skill, and intelligent too. Skills that Cinder would need for the coming days.

But the girl was loyal only to Roman. She did not know why the two thieves were so dependent on one another. Whether it was out of love, or mutual benefits was a mystery even to her.

Either way. If she wanted Neo, then Roman was needed... which meant that resources needed to be used to reclaim her stolen pawn. However, her options on what to use were limited. Utilizing White Fang grunts wouldn't be nearly enough. Cinder didn't doubt Ozpin's influence on Roman's security. A likely scenario was that a teacher from Beacon was there as an extra means of protection.

Even worse, Qrow Branwen might be there. Even she would find it difficult to face a man such as him. He was more than just a nuisance, but a well-positioned knight wielded by Ozpin.

Untrained animals would do little against a skilled Huntsman such as he.

"Should Mercury and I attempt to break him out?"

How amusing it was to hear the distaste Emerald had from her own suggestion.

"No, the two of you are to do nothing. Ozpin has most likely entrusted Roman's stay with one of his allies." Before she took another taste of her wine, Cinder glanced at Neo. "That also applies to you. As skilled as you may be, I doubt you will be able to defeat a Huntsman without revealing your identity." Despite the pouting, she nodded, placing the crystal down before she mimicked Mercury by crossing her arms.

At least the girl knew to obey. After all, Roman's life was in her hands, so the girl wouldn't think to betray her.

"The White Fang will be tasked with Roman's rescue." There was only one other person who was skilled enough to break Roman out of his cell. "I will convince Adam to lead the operation," the infamous high ranking member of the White Fang was the only one who could be trusted with this delicate matter. Cinder was willing to wager that his skill was almost on par with her own if she did not have the power of the fall maiden.

He fit all the criteria needed. Adam was skilled enough to complete the task, and his identity need not be hidden.

But persuading him to take part of such an operation would be difficult. With Roman's blatant racism towards the faunus, she wouldn't put it past Adam to argue the thief's insignificance.

But she would take the time to convince him otherwise. She needed more dust, and more importantly the little helper he had.

"If they fail, we'll lose a lot of manpower." Mercury brought up an excellent point. What if they did fail? What if Adam could not escape with his life? There was a simple solution. Cinder would influence whoever took his place, but that would take time that could have been used for more important matters. After all, managing silly animals did not compare to acquiring forged transcripts, and Haven uniforms to get into Beacon.

Perhaps it would be best for her to oversee Roman's escape _personally_. Call it paranoia, but she only dealt in absolutes. If she and Adam were to work together, then retrieving Roman was a certainty. Not only that, but she could ensure that Adam's life would be spared.

 _How bothersome you've proven to be, Roman._

Once she found a way to take him back. She would need to have words with him.

For children to best him. That was unacceptable.

After pouring another glass, she found it tempting to toast to the hopes that Roman was suffering.

* * *

Roman was suffering.

When he was removed from his cell to talk with hunters, he didn't expect his _sanity_ to be compromised! Whoever developed this torture he was being subjected to was a sick person who deserved what was coming to them! No, this wasn't something a person could create. Only a _monster_ could think of something so awful!

"And then, with my sheer will, and tremendous strength I lifted the Goliath," the disgusting pig of a man emphasized his claim by flexing his imaginary muscles. "I thankfully saved the fair maiden, and threw the colossal Grimm at the pack of Beowolves that threatened the woman's younger sister!" the fat fool continued. Roman allowed his head to fall on the table for the tenth time this night. "The Goliath's weight crushed my prey easily. Then, with a jump, I swung my ax down on the beast's exposed stomach!"

When will this end?!

When a flask was slid to him, Roman took it eagerly, noting that it was the fifth one he shared with his hero. He looked towards the man who had to suffer with him, toasting to him before he inhaled noisily, scrunching his nose before throwing caution to the wind and taking a swig.

He hacked a little, before giving the flask back to his new friend, thanking him with a silent nod. The old drunk had done the same before his red eyes slipped from Roman to the obese simpleton that was supposed to be his companion.

"It cried out only once before it died from my strike! After my victory, the two siblings thanked me for my services. "

Cinder was probably enjoying wine as she laughed at his misery.

"You wouldn't believe how demanding the two sisters were that they _repay_ me for saving them. Know what I mean?" the fat man wiggled his mustache like a disgusting worm groveling in the dirt.

"Oh, I can imagine." Roman knew that his voice oozed sarcasm.

He noticed his black-haired friend made to take another drink, only to panic when he realized the flask was empty. With a shake, to see if it was just his imagination, he slammed his head on the table.

Roman knew that his tears were going to ruin his eyeliner... but he didn't care.

"Ah, so you must be a ladies man like me! Fantastic! Perhaps we can share stories of our conquests." This idiot couldn't notice sarcasm if it were the CCT falling on him. "I remember the first female who fell for my charms." The first chance he gets. Roman would have Neo kill this man. "Her name was Pinkie, and she was a huntress who wished to defend the world from evil."

Roman would make sure he dies.

"For whatever reason, she used a party cannon as her weapon."

He'll have Neo make sure it was slow and painful.

"As silly as it was for combat, it was excellent for parties!"

Maybe Roman will take a crack at torturing the paragon of obesity.

"Although, she did have the _stare._ Those eyes of evil incarnate that act as poison darts to the soul!" For the first time, the fat man shuddered. "I pity anyone who has to face the smoldering gaze of a woman."

For once Roman agreed with the man. But _only_ this one time.

"Hey, what's your name anyway?" Roman asked the drunk. After sharing nearly half of his alcohol, he had to know the man's name. Perhaps when he finally escaped, he could convince the guy to go drinking with him sometime.

"Bran Ravenwen." he rasped, as his red eyes looked at his emptied flask in despair. Roman couldn't blame the man. Even after going through five drinks they couldn't numb the emotional pain from the man's _gallant_ tales of his youth.

"We're in this together." he grasped the sad drunk's shoulder.

Thankfully, Bran nodded dumbly, signifying the beginning of their alliance.

* * *

 **AN: No omake this time. Or perhaps you can consider the ending to be one. Either way, it doesn't matter to me.**

 **IMPORTANT INFO 1: On to important business. I'm about to do something that Coeur himself did a long time ago. Similar to what he did with One Good Turn Deserves Another, I am going to have a poll on my profile that let's you guys choose how this story goes. Now, what is it that you are voting for?**

 **Well, you have two options.**

 **If you noticed, a two week break before the second semester of Beacon was mentioned. I have an original story line planned that happens throughout this two week break that will allow Jaune and Blake to become closer as friends. I feel that this is better since in volume 2 I don't think there will be enough interactions for them to grow closer. Now, once this original story finishes, we will then transition over to volume 2.**

 **The second choice is for us to go straight to volume 2, with only a few chapters dedicated to the break. Three chapters would be dedicated to Jaune and Blake becoming closer friends; however I believe that it would come out rushed.**

 **Either way, I want you guys to decide.**

 **IMPORTANT INFO 2: I have a few stories planned, and I'd like to tell you guys about it. Now, none of these are going to be seen for a while, but I thought showing you guys what I have planned for the future would be nice. I'll give a short synopsis for the three that I've thought of so far. Tell me what you guys think, 'kay? Also, changes might be made, so what you see now may change drastically.  
**

 **Story 1: "You were me! But I am not you!" \- ****(Jaune x ?)**

 _ **Fate was cruel, as it always was to Jaune. His friends fell one after the other until he was all that remained. Then he too fell, laying on the snow painted by his blood. But as if it was a just a nightmare, he woke up to see Beacon Academy intact. But even stranger was that he had no control of his body as the events of the past were being replayed before him.**_

 **So if you didn't understand the synopsis, (don't worry I think I could have done a better job with it), I'll explain the premise. So a lot of the time, when I see a Jaune returning to the past story it always follows the same formula. Jaune has to become a badass. Then he uses his prior knowledge of the past to his advantage. Angst about lost friends (Which is fine!). Being a badass with a huge harem to his name (or just a relationship with Pyrrha.) More angst. More ass kicking dished out by Jaune. YOU GET THE POINT!**

 **In my opinion, I think Coeur did the best with that type of story, but I think I can add a spin on the time travel fic that you guys will find interesting. So in this story, Jaune from the future doesn't have a physical body but is with the present day Jaune in his soul. The purpose of this, is to have future Jaune be a sort of mentor for current Jaune throughout the canon. Trust me, if what I described as even piqued your interest by just a small amount, I think you will enjoy this story.**

 **Story 2: Weapons Forged With Intimacy -** **(Jaune x Yang)**

 _ **If there was one thing Jaune Arc was good at, it was making weapons. A forge wasn't needed. He didn't need a hammer to strike the metal. Hell! The kind of weapons he makes doesn't even require any ingots. The only two things he needs, are the soul and... well there comes the tricky part. "I need you to kiss me."**_

 **In this story, Jaune has a powerful semblance unlike any other. However, he doesn't fight with it, as his purpose isn't to use weapons, but create them. You might be wondering, what is so special about the weapons he makes? Well, by kissing someone, he and the recipient share their feelings and memories which will allow Jaune to create the ultimate weapon for that person. I know, it sounds silly, and most of you would expect this to be a harem story. But it won't be, and I will go into great detail on how his semblance works in the story. But to start, he uses his aura to project the weapon after kissing the eventual wielder. Not to worry, this will not be a harem. There _will_ be a love triangle, but I am not going to ruin this story by trying to have every female character fall in love with Jaune because of a kiss. **

**Story 3: At Arm's Reach \- ****(Jaune x Ruby)**

 _ **Ever since he was a little boy, Jaune wanted to be a hero. But for whatever reason, his dad would never teach him. It was after being rejected for the thirtieth time that he decided to train in the woods alone. He was going to show his dad how awesome he could be by himself! Funny thing is... he came back home with a missing arm. Well, at least the old man with red eyes saved him.**_

 **This is primarily a romance story, between Jaune and Ruby. In this fic, Jaune has a robot arm. I would go in detail, but I want to keep it as a surprise, though I am sure that most of you will figure out how these two will get close. Then again, maybe not as I didn't give much away. Eh, whatever.**

 **Tell me what you think of these ideas, and remember to vote in the polls.**

 **Later~**


	5. To Owe a Favor

**No beta, guys. I spoke with Lelouch recently, and unfortunately, he doesn't have time to help me on the site anymore. He has constantly been working, so I am afraid that his assistance will be unavailable for quite some time. Also, I was questioned about the reason for needing to wash Jaune's burn. Well, I could be wrong (hope I am not) but isn't it important to wash away any dead skin to stop a potential infection? Either way, if I am wrong then so be it. I can't change anything now.**

 **Either way, I hope you guys enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

"So you want my help with training?"

"Yep," Jaune said as he took a seat, the only form of cover for his body a towel wrapped around his waist. To an onlooker, it looked rather... risque to be with Ren like this. But he and Ren were just friends! They weren't like _that_.

"And the reason why you had to tell me in the communal shower was...?" He asked groggily, sporting a green towel that had his name sewn almost expertly in pink. The color combination was odd for a towel, and no typical person would have believed that the two colors would look good together.

Then again, Nora isn't the kind of girl one would call typical. Honestly, Jaune was impressed that the girl knew how to sew in the first place. For someone who didn't use any finesse in their fighting, she knew her way around a needle and thread.

"I need someone to wash my back, so it might as well be you."

From behind, he could hear Ren let out a tired. His teammate wasn't used to waking up at six in the morning, so it was understandable. But he seemed to accept his fate as Jaune heard his teammate submerge a towel in the bucket of water. With a squeeze, the water absorbed by the cloth began to drip down. Ren asked him if he was ready. He answered with a nod, then felt the cold, moist towel blanket his scar.

"Argh!"

"Sorry," The towel was removed as quickly as it touched his back. "I'll try to be more gentle." The young Arc voiced his gratitude with a weak smile, then bit his lip down when he felt the fabric rub against his damaged skin again. Gods, it was much more painful than he thought!

Every inch that the towel scraped his back, he wanted to push Ren away to stop this torture. It was like when he would dry himself with a towel when he had an awful sunburn, reminding Jaune of all the times he got out of the water of his family's pool when he was a kid. After hours of playing with his sisters without the divine protections of sunscreen, he would have the worst sunburns.

Well, in comparison he would much rather take the sunburn. At least then he would have fun beforehand.

Taking a hit for Blake wasn't exactly fun, to say the least. Jaune would do it again, though. If she or anyone else were in danger, he wouldn't hesitate to shield them. That's what a hero does, after all, so he had to fit the part.

He could imagine his dad doing the same.

Jaune could still very much remember the exact moment he felt Torchwick's blast. It was cliché like the scene from an old movie or novel. The damsel gets saved by the heroic knight while he holds her. As the hero holds the maiden in his strong arms, he says a memorable line that everyone would remember for as long as they lived.

It wasn't as romanticized, but it would be a good story to tell to strangers.

Apparently, his friends viewed him a hero which he found to be rather silly.

If he were a _real_ hero, then he would never have felt that small tug of regret when he protected Blake.

It was like a soft poke from one of his younger sisters. So quick and almost nonexistent that he didn't notice it the first time. But by the time he woke up after Torchwick was captured, he felt that his relief might have overwhelmed him. He survived! Everything else came second to that realization.

Then it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Because as happy as he was that he and Blake were alive and well. Jaune was disgusted that his continued existence was _more_ important to him than the life he saved.

Someone cynical like Torchwick would laugh at his conundrum. _"What's so wrong with worrying about yourself over others?"_ he would probably ask. It's honestly a darn shame. The criminal was incredibly skilled, and if he were a huntsman then perhaps a lot of people outside the kingdoms would be safer. Now sure, Torchwick did give him a nasty scar, but Jaune couldn't deny the strength that the man held. If his team and Ruby hadn't intervened then shielding Blake would have been meaningless.

Without his friends, everything Jaune could ever do would be meaningless.

"Why not ask Pyrrha?" Ren suddenly asked as he continued to scrub his aching back. "I'm sure you can trust her to train you properly like she always has."

"It's not about trust." He shook his head in amusement, a soft laugh slipping from his lips. "I trust Pyrrha with my life. But as it stands the best person to help me is you. You have the best aura control in our year, Ren. If anyone can make a useless guy like me get better with aura in a short time, it's you."

Maybe it was wrong of him to want to expect results in a small amount of time even with Ren. But after fighting Torchwick, it helped him realize that his current progress was sorely lacking. There had to be more options to use than relying on his body as a physical shield to protect others.

Jaune didn't want to die and be forgotten, but to be remembered by others as a hero.

"Ren..." Becoming as skilled as his friends may be impossible. "I know almost nothing about you. We don't talk much, and there aren't many things we share in common." There was a pregnant pause before he mustered the conviction to continue. "You may even think I don't belong here, and you would be right." For a brief moment, he felt Ren stop scrubbing, only to continue a short moment later. Jaune surmised it was because he wanted to get out of their awkward position as quickly as possible.

"But even so... I need your help, Ren. I'm not sure if I can do this without you." Even if the only way to gain power is to break his body then so be it! He won't hesitate. "I need your help. I want to be someone that others can trust in a fight. I don't wanna drag everybody down again. I couldn't bear it!"

Everyone at Beacon is amazing. Except one.

"I'm the only one at Beacon who is weak. You, Pyrrha, Nora and team RWBY. You're all so incredible that it makes me jealous. Whenever I see you guys fight, it makes me fantasize about what could have been if I had trained before coming here. What if I had trained instead of dreaming like the stupid kid I was? Would I have been as strong as Pyrrha? Would I have at least been able to become a better leader?" Would he at least be someone that his friends could rely on?

Throughout all his life, he wanted to train only for his father to always deny him the chance. Jaune was six when he first asked about becoming a huntsman. It was on his thirteenth birthday that he came to the conclusion that his dad didn't see any potential in him.

What other reason could there be for a great Huntsman like his father not to train him?

So Jaune gave up on asking him. Gave up on becoming a Huntsman altogether. _But I should have trained on my own. I should have rejected the thought of giving up just because Dad didn't believe in me._

"Five-thirty." Ren suddenly said, while Jaune still felt his teammate's gentle washing.

"Five-thirty? I don't follow." As he turned his head the pain on his back forgotten, he saw Ren with a small smile.

"We'll have to be quiet when we wake up in the following mornings to train." Ren lets a sigh escape his lips. "Which means I can say goodbye to sleeping in, but since you're so determined, I will sacrifice the pleasures of sleep for you." He never stopped washing the blond's back as he spoke.

Despite knowing little about him when seeing Ren together with Nora, it gave insight to what kind of a person he was. While quiet and stoic, he was someone who would do anything for a friend - even if that friend opposed his quiet nature and longing for peace with loud brashness and hunger for excitement. It wouldn't matter to him.

Or if his foolish team leader needed someone to wash his bare back, he would gladly do it. Even if that same idiotic blond needed help with a hopeless endeavor like attaining strength, then he will help. Ren was a good friend like that.

No... He's probably one of the greatest friends a person could hope to have. Because he'll be by a friend's side despite it all... and Jaune knew that he didn't deserve a friend like that.

"Five-thirty it is." he said with a smile.

Jaune faced the front again, not daring to look back. It would seriously suck if Ren saw him cry right now. He would sooner fight his father than let his friend see tears in his eyes. It would be so uncool if that happened!

"By the way,"

"Yeah?"

"Don't call yourself weak, because you aren't, Jaune. _We_ trust you with our lives, and whether you believe me or not changes nothing of how the team or I feel." The towel he used was submerged once more. The sound of the water hitting the tiled ground reached the blond's ears, informing him that he needed to prepare for the stinging pain again.

He didn't wince this time.

"How can you say that? Wasn't the state you found me in proof of how I weak I am?"

With how quickly he was defeated it should be evident that his skills were in serious need of improvement. While the trust instilled in him was kind, it was undeserved. When the time came that Jaune could stand next to his friends as an equal, then they could trust him with their lives.

But _only_ then.

"You may not have been able to fight him as an equal, but you did all you could to fight him. You bought yourself enough time for us to reach you, and because of that we captured him." With how proud his tone sounded, it was easy to imagine the smile he must have had. "In my eyes, that was not a defeat but a victory. When Blake told us of your fight, I got the impression that you were doing more than just throwing yourself at Torchwick. You were buying time for reinforcements to arrive, weren't you?"

That was his intent because it was his _only_ option. Call him a coward, but there was a reason why he did not help Blake and Sun at the very beginning. Simply put, his presence would only have served to be an obstacle for the two faunus to avoid while he would clumsily try to strike against Torchwick. Not only that, but his belated attack also ensured more time for help to arrive. Despite how poorly he did, it anchored the criminal at the docks, and as an extra boon, Blake was able to fight again courtesy of the extra time he bought. Thus becoming another chain to tie the enemy down.

To be a nuisance to Roman Torchwick... it was all part of the plan.

"But I had to rely on _hope_. You guys showing up at the nick of time was _luck_ finally being on my side."

"Maybe so," he surrendered. "But you were utilizing everything you had at your disposal for that one ray of hope. Against the overwhelming odds, you trusted yourself to keep stalling. The only reason that everything worked out the way it did was a result of your determination." Ren was speaking as if it were a lecture. But unlike Port who no one cared to listen to or Oobleck who was just too fast as if there was never enough time in the world— Jaune was drawn to his teammate's words like Rapier Wasps following the aroma of red sap.

Now didn't that bring back memories better left forgotten?

But maybe he had a point. While Jaune didn't beat Torchwick in combat, he did win the battle. He and his friends were alive while a criminal was behind bars.

Jaune felt his the corners of his mouth twitch up.

"Thanks, that meant a lot." His gratitude was genuine.

"It's no problem." Thankfully, Ren seemed to believe his honesty.

They were silent from then on. Just the constant scrubbing with the occasional winces as a reaction to the pain.

When they heard a cough, however, both looked to the side seeing a pair of men divested of their clothes just a few seats away. The two were in a similar situation that he and Ren were currently in. Mirroring Jaune was a tanned figure with red hair, his dark skin covered with numerous scars that told stories of his battles. His pure white eyes suggested that he was possibly blind. The fact that he was still at Beacon despite such a crutch was a testament to his skill.

Then there was the literal giant behind him, who was washing the smaller man's back with arms that could bench all of team Cardinal and then some.

Brown eyes met their gazes.

"Forgive me. I did not mean to ruin the moment."

* * *

When Jaune returned to the medical department of Beacon, he had prepared himself for a dreary day of rest. It would be a day of laying in bed as he would have to listen to the heart monitor read the rhythmic beating of his heart. It was going to be a day when attending class became much more appealing.

The first sign that his day would be more... _exciting ..._ was seeing Doctor Arima lean against the door to his temporary room, blocking his entrance. There was only one flicker of emotion that Jaune could discern from his blank stare.

Irritation. Oh boy... "Ryu, I didn't expect you to be up so early." He made sure to be on a first name basis, as anything else would only piss him off more.

"I'm always awake..." he growled. "Now, I would like to know why a particular patient of mine decided to leave his room without consulting me?"

"Um... I thought you wouldn't care."

"Well, you'd be right." Oh, well that's a relief... as strange as that sounds. "Normally, I wouldn't care about a missing patient. I would have just gone back to my room to relax. However..." his teeth began grinding together as the object of his frustration was in sight.

It was easy to guess what —or who annoyed him so greatly.

"A visitor for you kept me from doing that. But now that you're here, I can leave. And judging the way you so carelessly leave your room, it seems you are doing just _fine_."

"I'm sorry?" He didn't know if he really should be. It wasn't like he decided to go out to Forever Fall to fight Grimm. Jaune wasn't stupid enough to do something so dangerous as that in his condition— though his doctor seemed to think otherwise. Maybe he cared about his condition deep down—

"Gods, you are so annoying."

— but he had his doubts about that.

Ryu pushed his body off the door, closing the distance between them with a few strides. It was when he took the fourth step that Jaune realized that his doctor wasn't walking to him, but past him. He turned his head, seeing the retreating backside of his cranky caretaker.

"Your girlfriend and I have been waiting for about an hour." As his cheeks became warm, he knew they shared the color of his doctor's hair. "If I were you, I wouldn't keep the lady waiting any longer. Women can be terrifying creatures." Ryu seemed to shiver at that before he left the room without saying a goodbye.

He didn't even wave.

Jaune let a sigh escape his lips. Like he would have a _girlfriend_. The old man was probably referring to Pyrrha or Ruby, maybe even Nora. They were the only three of the opposite gender that he could think of that would visit him so early.

When he opened the door, the first color that he imagined seeing first would have been red. It was a lovely color. So lively and compelling to look at, that it inspires confidence whenever he sees it. Whether it was Pyrrha's hair or Ruby's cloak, Jaune expected to see the striking contrast of red and his white room.

The first thing he noticed was black— raven locks that framed a pretty face.

Seeing Blake sitting next to his empty bed with a book in her hands was one of the people he expected to see. And much like her personality, the girl's presence was a mystery.

"I take it that boredom drove your little escapade." Her eyes never left the pages of her book. Most would have assumed it was due to a lack of empathy on her part that this visit was nothing more than courtesy as a show of gratitude.

The fact that she was waiting for him to return, instead of leaving to come back another time proved otherwise. She could have gone back to her dorm for more sleep, or go the library to study. There were so many other things she could have done that Jaune could think of on the top of his head.

"Why are you here?" And yet he couldn't find the reason for her visit.

"That's your question?" Blake rolled her eyes as the book she was reading closed carefully. "I'm here to see you."

Well, duh. He gathered that much. "I mean, why are you here to see me so _early_? Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Shouldn't you." Jaune couldn't stop a nervous chuckle from escaping. She wasn't wrong, which was why she had probably said it as a statement rather a question.

She didn't reprimand him any further like Pyrrha would have. And he appreciated that. While having a partner watch over him was helpful for the most part, there were times when he didn't want or _need_ a lecture. Of course, he was still grateful to have such an incredible partner like Pyrrha.

His gratitude towards her would never change.

"Are you just going to stand there?"

"Sorry," He apologized with a smile. "Distracted is all."

"About what?"

"Just thinking about Pyrrha." His eyes snapped open wide as he saw a smirk from Blake. "Not in that way!"

When Blake started to giggle at his distress behind one hand, he couldn't help but blush. Jeez, it might as well be Yang in front of him. Who else but the self-proclaimed pun master would laugh at his expense over something like that? Maybe the fellow blonde was influencing her partner behind the scenes. Orchestrating a plan that would damage his pride... well... what was left of it at least.

"Why do you look so afraid?" she asked.

"Just thinking about Yang."

"Let me guess. Not in _that_ way, right?"

"Not in _that_ way, no. But in _**that** _ way." Blake hummed in understanding.

"I suppose she does go a little too far with her antics at times." She paused as her lips tensed to a frown. "Scratch that, she always takes things too far."

Yang can be terrifying in more ways than just leaving a fist sized crater on someone's face. The older sister of one Ruby Rose was known for her teasing nature that could cause antics to threaten the standing of this school... literally. Pair her with Nora— Jaune winced as a shiver ran through his spine at the thought, becoming a sharp pain.

His back was sorer than he expected.

"Are you okay?!" His eyes snapped open when he felt a grip on his shoulder. Blake stood there, a worried expression on her face, who opened her mouth to speak, but stopped when he waved a hand in front of her. He gave a smile that told her not to worry.

Jaune was thankful to have someone worry about him, but even more so to find that Blake trusted him enough not to argue. When he made to move to his bed, her body shifted before he could even brush against her as if she was never there in the first place.

When he got to his bed, he was surprised to see Blake already sitting beside him with a closed book on her lap. Instead of reading, she seemed keen on anchoring her gaze on him alone. What an odd girl, worrying about him when the worst had passed long ago. Although, the company was pleasant if he had to admit. Perhaps the day won't be as dull as he once thought.

Well... at least, until she had to leave for class leaving him to his devices.

 _I'll take what I can get._ "So Blake, what brings you here?"

"I thought we already went over this."

Jaune mirrored the girl's smile as she said that. "Not really. You never told me _why_ you came by to see me. Ryu said that you were waiting here for about an hour so it must be important."

She seemed to blush at that. If Jaune were the same guy who first came to Beacon, he would have assumed that it was because she had a crush on him. But he wasn't so foolish to think that anymore. This wasn't a cliche story where he and Blake were going to be an item because of one incident.

Thinking about it now, her reason for being here was clear as day.

"You know, I don't blame you for what happened."

The air around them grew to a chill. He would not have been surprised to see his breath take form as mist at that given moment. Blake didn't say anything at first, too stunned to say anything. As smart as she is, the abruptness of his statement must have made any logical response seem brain dead to her.

Honestly, it was a surprise that he had that effect on her.

"I took that blast for you because I wanted to." Jaune continued, knowing that he has the floor. "If you came here to apologize I won't let you. Whether it was Pyrrha or even Torchwick in that situation, I would do it again."

He was certain that the statement was one hundred percent genuine to what he actually felt. Even if it was someone who caused harm to another, they still deserve a chance at life. The thought made him want to smile out of pride.

Then he remembered the sensation of relief and regret he felt not long ago, which quickly snuffed out his giddy feelings.

"Besides," he went on, ignoring such depressing thoughts. "My saving you isn't as grand as everyone is making it out to be, Blake."

"You still helped me against Torchwick."

"Not that I really helped you much there," Jaune pointed out honestly. "While I did buy us extra time for the others to show up, it was you and Sun that did most of the work. If anything, the real heroes are you two."

Ren may have been right about his involvement being an essential part in capturing Torchwick, but without Blake and Sun, things would have ended very differently.

Like a funeral for one.

"Regardless of what you believe," Blake said with a huff. "It doesn't change how I feel. Whether you want it or not, I _will_ be repaying you."

"It isn't necessa-"

"It is to me." she hissed, which made him recoil back in shock at her quick dismissal. Blake seemed to realize her tone, as she cleared her throat behind one hand. "Sorry, I just... Is there anything you want help with? I'll gladly do it if it's within my ability to do so."

Why can't Blake just understand that there isn't _anything_ he wanted? Well, there was getting a date with Weiss, but he would never spring that on Blake. Making her choose between helping him or Weiss would be irresponsible of him. He had a strong feeling that Blake would always choose her teammate over him (regardless of saving her). But it wasn't the knowledge of rejection that stopped him, but the principle of asking in the first place.

He wasn't going to potentially ruin this new found friendship that he and Blake were forming. As short as their time together was during her escapade away from Beacon, any friend meant a lot to him. Jaune began running a hand through his coarse unkempt hair.

"Honestly, though... I'm just happy that you took the time to visit." Blake had a knowing smile when he said that, which worried him. When you deal with seven sisters, seeing one of them smile after saying something was a _huge_ red flag.

"Do I even want to know?" he asked wearily.

"Nothing bad," Blake shook her head, smile ever present. "I'm just amazed that Yang was spot on." Seeing his confused look, she continued. "She said that my coming here was enough compensation for you. I honestly don't know what stuns me more. Yang's accuracy or your stubbornness."

"The fact that Yang knows me so well is worrying."

"It's not like you're difficult to read."

"Ouch,"

"Can you deny it, though?" Blake asked, an amused brow raised.

"..."

Damn it!

"How 'bout this," he decided to change the subject— a weak attempt at salvaging what pride he has left. "If this _really_ bothers you, you can just owe me a favor. That way, if I ever need help with something I can go to you, and that'll settle it." More importantly, she will relax and hopefully forget about trying to make things _even_. There wasn't anything he wanted from her, so he wasn't going to waste her time.

Jaune got to be the hero for once, albeit a clumsy one. He was finally making the next step into realizing what he wanted to be— a hero like his ancestors. What more could he want?

"Are you sure?" she sounded so unsure which matched with her hesitant expression.

Jaune smothered his laughter.

"I'm sure. If something comes up that only you can help with, I will go to you immediately." he made sure to offer a confident smile, which seemed to do little as Blake had a defeated sigh.

Truthfully, Jaune doubted that he would ever collect a favor from Blake. Whatever happens in the future, this favor that Blake _thinks_ she owes him will hopefully never come up again. A person's life was worth much more than some favor could ever be.

Not only that, but Jaune didn't deserve her gratitude. All he wanted to do was be the hero, and he got that at the docks. Whether it was a friend or a stranger didn't matter.

His reason for saving her did not warrant any reward. Not from her or anyone else.

"Thanks for stopping by, Blake."

* * *

"I fail to see why we need Torchwick any longer." Adam growled, the catalyst of his ire no doubt being the thief. Taurus has always been bullheaded, and today was no different it would seem.

Cinder would have laughed at her pun, but the silly animal standing in front of her might have lashed out. It wouldn't do for there to be ash and bone on her carpet now, would it? Instead, she let a tired sigh escape her lips to show just how much she cared for Roman.

"I too would rather leave him, but you must understand Adam. We still require more dust-"

"We do not need that human for dust!"

She would have reduced his tongue to a bubbling grease for interrupting her. But that would cause more problems for only a small relief. With a practiced smile that would drop any other man's guard. "I do not doubt your ability, but Roman has more experience than you or me in this field. Future operations will run much smoother with him than without." It wasn't a lie, which was painful to admit. Roman was many things, but useless he was not.

"Then there is Neo," Cinder added. Seeing Adam's face tense in annoyance was enough to tell her how much he cared for the petite woman. "Regardless of how you feel, you can not ignore her importance. If we lose Roman, we lose Neo." That could not happen. She needs as many powerful pieces on the board as possible. As much as a nuisance Ozpin was, Cinder could not deny how powerful his side of the board was.

Emerald and Mercury were well above the levels of any student at Beacon, but they could do little against trained combatants like Branwen or Goodwitch. There was also the rest of the staff at Beacon including the students. So many powerful pieces under Ozpin's control while Cinder had much fewer under her command at the moment. Besides Adam, the White Fang only provided numbers— which a team of huntsmen could dispatch easily enough.

"If we are to achieve our goals, then all the pieces must be in place. The revolution you seek can only be achieved if we work together."

Cinder could hear Adam's grip tighten.

But he did not argue any longer when he turned his back to leave.

"When do you want it done?"

"You will know when I send you the coordinates of our rendezvous. Until then, prepare what men you can spare."

"Very well..."

Cinder would have set the spot he stood on fire after he left, but refrained. A chuckle slipped past her lips instead as she leaned back into the leather couch. Despite how tiresome dealing with him was, it was easy to manipulate the fool. As powerful he may be, the man was no leader. So blinded by hate and grief that he'll do anything to sate his vengeance. Just crack the door a little to reveal the opportunity to do so, then he'll agree to anything.

With Adam's assistance, Roman will be back in the fold soon enough.

Heh... only for him to be captured again. She did not intend to keep him forever. For as soon as Roman causes the breach for the Grimm to flood through the tunnels into Vale, he will no longer be of use. She would steal the remainder of the Fall Maiden's power, and destroy the CCT.

Then she will be gone.

How easy it is to manipulate men. With Adam, it was the opportunity to hurt those who hurt him. There was also his old partner that he fancies so much. Offer him the chance to find her again, and he'll turn into a dog and obey her orders. Roman was even simpler. All he wanted was to survive— to be on the winning side.

Roman will help ensure the fall of her enemies, and also his _own_ fall.

How ironic, that the man who will do anything to win will lose because he chose the winning side.

Salem would be pleased.

* * *

 **Sorry for the long wait guys. Also, I know that the chapter isn't very long, and I apologize for that. However, everything important that needed to be addressed was in this update but also builds up to future chapters. Also, for those of you who want to correct me about Cinder's master plan, I think the breach was the original plan. Coeur seemed to believe this to as he explained this perfectly in Stress Relief.**

 **Looking at the results of the poll, it is safe to say that you guys want an original story before we get to Volume two. It won't be set in stone, but the chapter count of this original arc might be ten chapters long. It sounds long, but I guarantee that you will all like it.**

 **A piece of news! I have another story idea. I would like to write this, but only because Jaune would have the abilities of my favorite character of ALL TIME! Truthfully, this lacks creativity with how unique Jaune's abilities would be, but I do think it would be a cool read if someone else were to do it. Anyway, here's the story idea.**

 _ **The Flame Huntsman**_

 _ **There aren't many who have what it takes to be an Atlas Specialist. For Jaune Arc, it was all thanks to his semblance that he became the youngest Huntsman in Remnant. With a snap of his fingers, his foes shall be engulfed in searing flames. Its heat unmatched by any other. "I am also quite the ladies man. Right, Winter?"**_

 **If you couldn't tell, in this story Jaune Arc has the abilities of Colonel Roy Mustang from Fullmetal Alchemist. Is it unoriginal and lazy of me to do this? Yep! Do I care? Nope! As for those of you who dislike the fact that I even entertained the thought of doing this, I understand. Normally, I would roll my eyes after reading a summary like the one I wrote.**

 **But you know what? I don't care. Yeah, that's right, I. Do. Not. Care.**

 **Besides, it's only the ability that is unoriginal for this story. I have some really cool things planned for that story when I eventually start writing it. Also, while Mustang's alchemy is overpowered as hell in the show, in the world of RWBY, I think it's pretty balanced when you compare it to everything else.**

 **Well, that's about it. Have a good one guys!**


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